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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26052193">The Homecoming Arc</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/jostin_trinidad/pseuds/jostin_trinidad'>jostin_trinidad</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Hidden Mist: Part I [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Naruto</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, Kirigakure | Hidden Mist Village, naruto oc</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:14:03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>35,679</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26052193</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/jostin_trinidad/pseuds/jostin_trinidad</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The First Arc in this series which takes place at the same time as Part 1 Naruto, specifically The Land of Waves Arc. We are introduced to the main characters of the series, getting both some backstory and some dreams for the future. Follow Josho as he and his team go on their first mission, but not everything is at it seems, both on the mission and when they return. How will these revelations affect their future? Will it create division in the Hidden Mist or will the corrupt authorities sweep it under the rug?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Hidden Mist: Part I [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1891195</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Arrival! Nearly a Decade of Duty!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written from Jōshō's pov, unless noted in the chapter notes.</p><p>Extra Resources:<br/>Timeline of Events: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1imUk2lWznKY0ryZeY1uBb3TkuNlMRxPy91jOhImL6gM/edit?usp=sharing<br/>Information Sheets: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1j4URuXCNe81ndZmfpGjfE8bGqDeDaMfeC565PQXdtys/edit?usp=sharing<br/>Databook: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jESdpOI_hlIZ5qrNWW8JAV7IzoZATP9oBZMJ_FgE8gU/edit?usp=sharing</p><p>"~~~" signifies a flashback<br/>"霧隠れ" signifies what would be a cut during the episode, essentially the presentation of a black screen for dramatic effect; could also signify a pov change</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I looked at the door to my house. It looked the same as it did seven years ago. Faint scratches from constant use, dents and scuffs from our time as children playing about with our friends, when times were different. I knocked, I didn’t know if Ankoku was asleep yet. It wasn’t too late but the past seven years alone must have taken a toll on her. When I left her she was fourteen, Lord Great Elder said that they would assign her protection from the Anbu Black Ops, but, during this time where corruption and power grabs were abundant, I doubted they would keep their word. Even if I was one of the Mist’s best assets, the atmosphere of the Mist could overturn any decision. A light turned on inside and footsteps grew louder as who I assumed was Ankoku approached the door. The door opened slightly, the light inside casting a beam onto the road behind me. Ankoku’s head peeked out from the crack, her hand rubbing her left eye, she must’ve already been asleep.</p><p>“Big brother?!” she exclaimed. Her jaw dropped and she rubbed her eyes again, I assume trying to make sure she was seeing things right. She looked how I had imagined her to look at this age. She was twenty-two, four years my junior.  She had grown into a fine woman, her long caramel hair, tied in a bun, a mesh bun holder keeping its shape. She was maybe five or six inches shorter than me, her blue eyes shining, an expression of elation across her face. She had always taken more after our father, while I had taken more after mom, but looking at her now, it was almost as I was looking at a version of him.</p><p>“Big brother!” she said again. “It <em> is </em> you! Where have you been? I thought you were dead.” She wrapped her arms around me, embracing me in a hug I hadn't felt in almost a decade. She ushered me inside, guiding me to the main room. The house looked the same as I remembered it, the muted colors of the village influencing every design decision made. Potted plants hung from the ceiling, lining the wall of windows, the vines overflowing from the pots and draping onto the glass. The glass sliding door leading to the covered balcony and showing the dimly lit balcony garden. The couches, a wooden base, with muted dark red cushions and pillows. I sat down at one of the three couches surrounding the wood coffee table. Ankoku locked the door and found the light switch for the main room. I looked down at the table. Our last family photo before they died. My mother and father were wearing their Anbu uniforms, while I was wearing the standard flak jacket given to shinobi of the chūnin rank or higher. I had just been promoted to chūnin, thus the reason for the photo. Ankoku was around eight, wearing her Academy clothes. We all looked happy, smiles across our faces, Ankoku seemingly mid-laugh. That was the last time we were all together. A sharp snap knocked me out of my reverie.</p><p>“Can you hear me?” Ankoku asked. “You didn’t lose your hearing while you were away, did you? Where even were you? I thought I had lost you too <span>…</span> and after mom and dad I barely pulled through.” Ankoku’s eyes watered and I pulled her close, placing her head under my chin.</p><p>“I have been gone too long,” I replied, stroking her back, trying to calm her. “I am so sorry. I shouldn't have been gone this long. It is unacceptable, but it was important. It was for the Mist. I wish I could’ve told you but <span>…</span> nevermind.” She looked up the tears starting to leave her eyes.</p><p>“What aren’t you telling me?” she asked, confusion and paranoia flowing through each word.</p><p>“I am sorry,” I replied. “I can’t reveal that information to anyone but the Mizukage and Lord Great Elder. No exceptions. Even for you.” She glared at me, but knew my predicament and even more, my importance to the Mizukage and Lord Great Elder.</p><p>“They always liked you more than me,” she said, her face scrunching in anger. “That’s why they promoted you to jōnin at thirteen and me just four years ago. They don’t value me or my skills.”</p><p>“You made jōnin?” I asked, surprised. She had grown so much. The last time I saw her, she was still a chunin, just one year after her promotion. She was an unseen prodigy, as a constant comparison to me, overshadowed her own abilities. She graduated one of the top kunoichi in her class, but she was never able to pull out from behind my shadow. It was another of the reasons why I took the first chance to leave when it presented itself. I wanted the village to see her for what she was, not just the younger sister of the Gale Style Shinobi of the Taifū Clan. She was so much more than that, something I’ve told her many times. She looked at me and faster than I could notice moved next to me and punched me in the shoulder.</p><p>“Of course I made jōnin,” she answered. “You didn’t think that just because you mysteriously disappeared I was going to let you stay ahead of me, did you? You’re four years older than me but that doesn’t mean we can’t compete!” She held her fist in the air, our childhood promise to always surpass each other no matter how impossible it may seem. I raised my fist next to hers, assuring her that I hadn't forgotten.</p><p>“Well, if you made jōnin, do you have your own genin squad yet?” I questioned. I had my doubts about her being a jōnin leader as the last time I saw her she was studying Medical Ninjutsu, something I would also take up, just under different tutelage.</p><p>“No,” she said, a little sheepishly. “I work at the hospital. A medical-nin through and through. But I do know that graduation for the current Academy students is in a day. You should let Lord Yagura know and he might assign you a genin squad.”</p><p>“You think that I would be able to teach a genin squad?” I replied. “I was literally just missing for seven years with no contact with the village. You think it would be a good idea for that to be entrusted with kids?”</p><p>“I think that is the exact reason why you should be given a genin squad. So that you can learn about responsibility.”</p><p>“Hey! I’m responsible. Remember I’m the one that took care of you while mom and dad were away on missions.”</p><p>“And don’t forget after they died.” She looked at her feet.</p><p>“Yeah. I just wasn’t the best during that time. I left not too long after we won the war against the Kaguya Clan. I’m sorry.”</p><p>“I’m glad that you did, actually. You treated me like a baby, getting me everything. Your leaving forced me to be independent. I had to fend for myself, no one here to protect me, feed me, help me. I grew strong. Maybe even stronger than you.” There was a glint in her eyes. Something I had never seen in her before, true confidence. Maybe my leaving the village really was best for her.</p><p>“Don’t get too ahead of yourself. I’ve been gone for seven years, I could’ve learned things you could only dream about.”</p><p>“We can test that bluff out.” She was looking directly at me, issuing a challenge. I couldn't let her down again after these seven years. I would just have to put her in her place.</p><p>“It’s your loss.” We walked out of the house, Ankoku locking the door behind us. I let her guide the way. We needed to go to a place that would give either of us an advantage so not the ocean. It had been so long since I had seen her that I didn’t even know what nature transformations she possessed. I assumed she had Water Style, but even that I was unsure of. There were outlier cases in the Hidden Mist where people didn’t possess Water Style. It was something I was going to have to find out the hard way.</p><p>We kept walking for a while. I assumed she was trying to get me tired by taking the longest route to wherever we were going. It was, however, a nice time to see the village. Nothing major had changed in the time that I was gone. No major reconstruction or additions. When we finally arrived, I found myself at the Academy.</p><p>“The Academy?” I asked, skeptically. I assumed it was closed for the night in preparation for graduation in a few days.</p><p>“It’s the only place where we would have an even match up,” she replied. “The dueling area is perfect.”</p><p>“How? You do remember I have this neat thing called Lightning Style, right?”</p><p>“And you have no idea what I bring to the table.” She looked at me triumphantly. She was right. I had no idea what I was going up against when we stepped onto the field.</p><p>“We just have to figure out how we are going to get in,” she continued. “It’s obviously locked.” We were about to try the door when I sensed something drop from the shadows behind us. I quickly grabbed a kunai, the curved edge facing outward. I was greeted by two Anbu Black Ops members, their faceplates all I could focus on. The one on my right had half of his mask painted dark green, the Hidden Mist symbol green or white depending on which side of the diagonal cut the lines fell on. The other’s mask was completely blank save for a red line across it, encompassing the eye slits.</p><p>“Jōshō,” the green masked Anbu stated. “You are to come with us to the Mizukage’s office.” I nodded knowing what this was for. The Anbu started to move, me in-toe. Ankoku started to follow when the red masked Anbu signaled for her stop.</p><p>“It’s okay,” I replied. “I’ll be home in ten minutes. I promise.” She looked at me with fear in her eyes. The trauma of losing our parents never fully left her, nor did it really leave me. She was scared that I wasn’t going to come home and that she was going to be all alone again. I pulled her close, letting her know that I wouldn’t leave her again and followed the Anbu to the Mizukage’s office.</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>“I thought we had lost you to the Hidden Leaf,” Lord Yagura said. “I was going to have your head if you had betrayed us.” Yagura, though young-looking, was still as menacing a shinobi could be. He was around my age, as I remembered when he was sealed with Three-Tails after it had been recaptured after being sealed in a captured Hidden leaf shinobi during the Third War. But he looked young and it was off-putting. I couldn’t place his age to save my life, but I knew that even if he was young, he was skilled enough to earn the title of Mizukage and that was enough for me.</p><p>“I am sorry Lord Mizukage,” I replied, getting on one knee and bowing my head. “I didn’t expect the training to take as long as it did.”</p><p>“Did you complete the mission? And get up, you are one of the few people in this village who can match me as an equal. You shouldn’t be on your knee like a wandering merchant.” I stood up quickly.</p><p>“Yes. I completed the mission.”</p><p>“Where is the seal? I don’t see it on your forehead.”</p><p>“I’ve been using the Transformation Jutsu to change my appearance. So when I came back to the village it would just look like I lost my happuri.”</p><p>“Smart as always. I knew I could trust you to complete this task. You were always one of the brightest. A master of chakra control. There was no one else in our village that the Legendary Sannin, Tsunade, would teach. So you are a medical-nin now?” I nodded my head in agreement.</p><p>“Okay,” he said, moving some papers on his desk. “I will change your ninja classification to medical-nin.” I looked at him, confusion covering my face.</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“The whole reason that I left the village to train in Medical Ninjutsu was so that I could bypass Medic Ninja laws,” I replied. “If I am to still be classified as a medic-nin, I will have wasted the last seven years training in secret. Along with the fact that if I was to still be classified as a medic-nin, I easily could’ve trained in the village.”</p><p>“Oh yes,” -he grabbed his head, not in pain, but in confusion- “I can’t believe that slipped my mind. Something must be happening to me. My mind must be slipping.” Something was off about him. He wasn’t the same as when I had left. He wasn’t the clear-minded Kage that I remembered. He rifled through his desk, finally settling on something and pulling out into the open.</p><p>“A new happuri for the one you ‘lost,’” he said. I took the happuri, typing the band around my head. My caramel hair reflecting in the shiny silver of the metal. The symbol of the Hidden Mist perfectly engraved. The black cloth perfectly wrapped around my head. I headed for the door, my hand just above the doorknob when Lord Yagura started talking again.</p><p>“Wait,” he started. “I forgot to ask you. Do you want to lead a genin team?” I turned around and looked at him in shock.</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>“Ar- are you sure?” I replied. “I don’t think that I would be the best fit for children to be around.”</p><p>“We are in need of a leader of Team 6,” he stated, reaching out a file in hand. “They need a respected and skilled team leader, who knows a lot of the world. Someone who has knowledge to pass on. Along with someone who will protect them.” I grabbed and opened the file, looking over the three genin I would be assigned to if I took the position.</p><p><em> Fumeirō, </em> I read, looking at the first sheet of paper. <em> Member of the Maboroshino Clan. Supposedly unable to perform Ninjutsu. One of the best Genjutsu users of the graduating class, not surprising though as the Maborshino Clan is known for their multitude of Shadow affinities. Hisomeru-sensei states that he has shown interest in Medical Ninjutsu and wants to become a great shinobi. His written test scores were pretty high, but his application of textbook skills is what is dragging him down. His overall scores are very low, maybe one of the lowest in the class. </em> I flipped to the next sheet. <em> Saki, from the Sāberu Clan. She is adept in Taijutsu and Kenjutsu, also not surprising when you take her clan’s skills into consideration. But she can’t form basic Genjutsu, that sounds familiar. Hisomeru-sensei says that her stamina outweighs many of her classmates. That’s interesting, a large chakra pool, but from the Sāberu Clan? They used to be samurai from the Land of Iron, but then again that was long before a small group of them moved here. </em> I flipped to the last graduate’s sheet. <em> Kasumi Mukimei. Huh, the top kunoichi and graduate of the class, but from a civilian family, not even a clan within the Mist. Interesting. Hisomeru-sensei says that she is nearly unmatched, the only classmate able to match her is Kibishī Hōsei. Wait, what?! </em></p><p>“This girl possesses a kekkei genkai!” I said, shocked.</p><p>“Yes,” Lord Yagura replied. “Vapor Style. A combination of Fire and Water Styles. A powerful kekkei genkai. So, now do you understand why I want you to lead this team.”</p><p>“Her time in the Academy must have been hard. Our village hasn't been very nice to kekkei genkai users since the war with the Kaguya Clan. I can’t even imagine what it’s like. I left so soon after we ended the war with those savages that I wasn’t ever the target of any prejudice. But I can’t even begin to imagine what she has gone through. The fallout after that war must’ve been bad.”</p><p>“Yes, she was targeted by everyone in her, supposedly except for these two. They were also outcasts in the class, supposedly due to Fumeirō’s personality and inability to back his claims and Saki’s appearance and physique. Their teacher told me that Kasumi had it the worst. Apparently, some of the other students were asking for the old graduation exam to return so they had the chance to kill her.”</p><p>“That’s horrible. Especially since the graduation exam had been gone since my day.”</p><p>“Well, you did graduate in the same class as Zabuza Momochi, the reason the graduation exam was forgone. How he didn’t kill your class still eludes me.”</p><p>“It was probably because he knew that he wouldn’t have been able to easily defeat me and I would have protected my classmates to my dying breath. A foolish ideology especially for the time we were in and are currently still in. But something I hold onto, for some reason. I remember that Zabuza and I were often paired to spar because we were the only ones who could match each other in combat, both analytically and ability-wise. And if anyone else were to be our partner, our class would have shrunk every time.”</p><p>“You two were the prodigies of your year. I remember.” He quieted down, letting me read the rest of the file.</p><p>“So do you accept the role of being their jōnin leader?” Lord Yagura asked. “You are the only available jōnin who can relate to this girl and, hopefully, guide her down the right path.” I paused thinking over what I knew about myself and what Ankoku had said to me earlier tonight.</p><p>~~~ ‘You think that I would be able to teach a genin squad? I was literally just missing for seven years with no contact with the village. You think it would be a good idea for that to be entrusted with kids?’</p><p>‘I think that is the exact reason why you should be given a genin squad. So that you can learn about responsibility.’ ~~~</p><p><em> If I took this position, </em> I thought. <em> Would I be able to provide them with the guidance they so desperately needed? </em></p><p>~~~ ‘They need a respected and skilled team leader, who knows a lot of the world. Someone who has knowledge to pass on. Along with someone who will protect them, <span>…</span>’ ~~~</p><p><em> Do I have enough confidence in my own abilities to teach others how to use their own? </em> I thought. <em> Would I be the teacher that I had when I was younger? The teacher I had before he was lost to the fighting of the Third Shinobi World War? Would I be able to <span>… </span>to guide the next generation in the direction that the village needed to go in? Would I be able to pass on my experience and knowledge, everything that I have learned and protect them from the evil of the world? </em></p><p>“Yes,” I replied. “I will be their team leader.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Reconnecting with the Past!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>I returned to our house. A light was still on inside and before I could even knock, the door swung open. Ankoku hugged me, it seemed that she wasn’t sure that I would come home.</p><p>“I thought I wasn’t going to see you again,” she said. She obviously was still traumatized from my leaving in the middle of the night seven years ago. I don’t think she would ever be able to overcome it or any of the trauma we faced as children. She had it worse as she was younger than I was when everything happened, The Third Shinobi World War, our parents’ death, the rest of the conflicts in the Hidden Mist, and it all culminated in me leaving her for almost a decade. It was the worst case of autophobia I had seen since I had been diagnosed after our parents had died. She would be forever traumatized, something I could try to help retroactively, but even I knew that I wouldn’t be enough to wipe it away. I stroked her head as our mother had when we were young and scared. She started to cry, her emotions had reached a breaking point and she couldn’t try to be strong any longer. The confident, self-assured look I had seen not thirty minutes earlier, replaced with the overwhelming emotions and trauma of her childhood. All I could do was try to comfort her, to be the big brother she had missed during her teenage years. The brother she grew up with who promised to never let her be hurt by the world and the brother who promised to be by her side no matter what. Two things I had failed as I grew up. I couldn’t protect her in our war against the Kaguya Clan and look at what it led to. </p><p>She was wounded and on the edge of death. I couldn’t protect her and I couldn’t prevent it. Then I left her. The second part of my promise as a big brother, broken. I told myself it was to protect her so that in the future I knew I would be able to protect her, but I was gone too long. Seven years. Seven fucking years! I abandoned her. I looked down at her. Her tears were fading, but she was still holding me close, not wanting to let me go. I was here now and I was going to make the most of it, I was going to be the big brother I promised I would be. I would do my best to make up for the time I lost and I wasn’t going to let anything stand in the way.</p><p>I walked with her, still hugging each other, into the house. She drew back, wiped her tears, looked at me one more time and headed to her room. I watched her as she left, she was so different yet still the same. The small girl, once unsure of her abilities, now confident and proficient. A talented medical-nin and outstanding kunoichi, I was sure of it.</p><p>“You sure have grown up Little Ankh,” I said to myself. “You have grown into a fine woman without me. It seems like just yesterday, I was standing by your medical cot, tears streaming down my face, not knowing whether or not you were going to make it. Now, look at you. You deserve this.” I fell asleep on the bed I had known for so long but hadn't felt in almost a decade. The warmth of reuniting with my family lighting my heart ablaze with a passion to move forward.</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>I woke up the next morning to the smell of chocolate cornets and Ankoku’s hum-singing, something I had so dearly missed in my time away.</p><p>“So you still start every day off with the little melody?” I said, walking into the kitchen.</p><p>“Old habits are hard to break,” she said, a little shrug of her shoulders. She finished up the cornets filling them with chocolate. She handed me a plate with three cornets.</p><p>“They are still cooling so let them be,” she said, seeing me reach for the pastry. She slapped my hand with a wooden spoon, seemingly pulling it out of thin air.</p><p>“I said let them cool.” I looked at her meekly. She had inherited our father’s stern demeanor and no-nonsense attitude. I could see how she could work at the hospital. The attitude she just showed made her ideal for dealing with patients, something I couldn’t even fathom myself doing.</p><p>“Do you have to go into the hospital today?” I asked. She was already starting to clean up and put things away.</p><p>“Yeah,” she answered. “I have a few patients I have to check on, and we don’t know what could happen to the missions today. We hope that they all go without a hitch, but we know that it isn’t always like that. We have to be ready in case anything goes awry.” She kept cleaning up and figuring out how everything fit together beforehand. She was in the midst of putting away the flour in the cupboard when she started talking again.</p><p>“Do you have any plans for today?” she asked. “You can’t just sit around the house all day. It’s been so long since you've been in the village, you have to know some people who want to see you.”</p><p>“Uhh actually,” I replied, scratching my head awkwardly. “I am gonna have to figure out what I’m gonna do with my genin team.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, your genin team,” she said, obviously not paying attention. It took her a few seconds to actually process what I had said.</p><p>“Wait?! Your genin team?! You have a genin team? When were you going to tell me you were assigned a genin team? Do you know who they are? Are you excited? When did Lord Fourth ask you to lead a team? Did you say no at first? I bet you did, you were always doubtful of your leadership skills or just your skills in general.” She was starting to scream with excitement. She was obviously happy. We had just talked about me taking on a genin team just before I met with Lord Yagura, so it probably seemed like I had taken her advice.</p><p>“Yeah, Lord Yagura asked me last night when we met if I wanted to lead a team. I was hesitant, as you would expect, but I looked over the file he had assembled and it persuaded me to do it.”</p><p>“Interesting. What about the kids that made you change your mind? Was it because they were all prodigies and you wanted to teach the next geniuses? Or were they slackers who you think you can turn into great shinobi?”</p><p>“Uhhh, well one of the kunoichi, well there are two girls, Kasumi and Saki. Kasumi was the top kunoichi and graduate, Saki, was towards the middle of the class and Fumeirō, the only male squad member, was towards the bottom of the class. But I still wasn’t planning on taking them on until I saw that Kasumi possessed a kekkei genkai.”</p><p>“She possesses a kekkei genkai?!” She was obviously shocked. The only known people in our village to possess kekkei genkai were Mei Terumī, a kunoichi around a year older than me, and myself. Kekkei genkai users had been rare ever since the war with the Kaguya Clan. That was when our village started hating people and clans with kekkei genkai. The Yuki Clan, a clan famous for having the Ice Style Kekkei Genkai, was completely gone or the remaining members are in hiding,driven away by the Mist’s hate for kekkei genkai.</p><p>“Do you know what style? Is she an Ice Style user? A long lost member of the Yuki Clan?”</p><p>“No, she’s a Vapor Style user like Mei. Except no Lava Style, just Vapor Style. Lord Yagura wanted me to lead that team because of Kasumi specifically. I’m the only available jōnin who can relate to and understand her.”</p><p>“I can tell you that she needs you. Persecution of kekkei genkai users started after our war with the Kaguya. You haven’t experienced much of it because you left so soon after we ended the war. Which reminds me, be careful. I don’t know if your service to the Mist will be enough to protect you from the prejudice looming over within our village. I hope that the people can look past it, especially because your fought so hard against the Kaguya Clan. But we never know.”</p><p>“I will watch out, but that’s exactly why Lord Yagura wanted me to take on the team. I wasn’t planning on it, but I knew that I had to help her. I just think about the possibility that it could’ve been me in that three-man team. Had our roles been reversed and she was the jōnin with a kekkei genkai, I would’ve hoped that I would have gotten her as a teacher. I just hope that I can do enough to help her. I can’t ever pretend to have been in her shoes, but I can do my best to try.”</p><p>“You were always like that, helping everyone you could. I remember being young and always seeing you help someone. It didn’t matter if you knew them or not, you just wanted to help. So I have no doubt that you will be able to guide that girl down the right path and protect her from the worst this village has to offer. You were always so empathetic to the people around you. It was like you could feel their feelings and your helpful actions were just you doing the most you could to help them.”</p><p>“I wouldn’t say that. I would agree that I tried to help everyone.”</p><p>“Don’t downplay what you do. You were always the helpful one. Always showing everyone that there were people in the village who weren’t only after blood. You showed many, who knew that there were demons in the world, but also that there were some in the world who always did their best to counteract those demons. Angels in disguise.” I didn’t know what to say. I had never seen this side of her. The deep, observant side. The side that nothing slipped past. I had figured she had a side like this. I mean she was a medical-nin and we all had to be observant of a patient’s changing symptoms and ailments, knowing what was going on at all times or risk losing the patient in a matter of seconds. I just never thought that she would show me that side so willingly. I always felt that she was too closed off and traumatized to ever fully drop her guard. I turned my head to the cornets, now definitely cooled. They brought me back to when our father used to make them for us at every special occasion. Our special treats, he used to say. Our parents were Mist Anbu, but they never seemed to be assigned to the same missions. Well, except for one, the one that would kill them. But recapturing the Three-Tails during the Third Great Ninja War was a very important task, so I could see why they were both required for the mission. We had sealed the Three-Tails in some captured Leaf kunoichi who we then let escape that way she would make it back to the Hidden Leaf, where the seal would break and the Three-Tails would destroy the village. However, a shinobi known as Kakashi Hatake, would end up killing both the Leaf kunoichi and all the Mist Anbu, including our parents. I didn’t know how he managed to overpower and kill all the Anbu we sent, especially after hearing he was around my age, but his skill was something that I wanted to see in person. So that I could see if my parents struggled in their final moments or if their end was swift and painless. A knock at the door shook me out of my thoughts.</p><p>“I’ve got it!” Ankoku said, heading towards the door. “I invited someone over who you might want to see! And now that you are a genin team leader, you might want to talk to her about it.” She disappeared from view and I started to eat the first coronet. The door opened and footsteps grew louder.</p><p>“Wow,” the voice said. “You were serious that he came back. I thought you were kidding.” I turned to see one of my best friends since my time in the Academy.</p><p>“Surudoi Nentō,” I said, standing up to give her a hug.</p><p>“We assumed that you died a long time ago,” she said. “I mean seven years is a long time. Where even were you?”</p><p>“I was on a mission from Lord Fourth,” I replied.</p><p>“Ah yes,” Surudoi said, rolling her eyes and turning to Ankoku. “Secret missions from Lord Fourth.”—she turned back to me—“It’s almost unfair how much they like you.”</p><p>“Almost?” Ankoku said. “It’s definitely unfair how much they like him. He literally can get things handed to him! While most everyone else in the village has to work for everything!”</p><p>“Okay, okay,” I replied. “I get it! Our village leaders favor me.”</p><p>“I wish I was the one who was born with the kekkei genkai,” Ankoku said. “Then <em> I </em> would be the favorite.”</p><p>“Sure,” I said, rolling my eyes.</p><p>“So Surudoi,” Ankoku said, scowling at me. “What do you have planned for today?”</p><p>“I’m gonna scope out locations for my genin team,” she said, laughing. “You know, for their test.”</p><p>“A test?” I asked.</p><p>“Yeah,” Surudoi said. “It’s something that we implemented soon after the war with the Kaguya Clan. It’s for genin teams, obviously, given by their jōnin team leaders. They test the genin again, seeing if their abilities line up with their jōnin team leaders. But it is also a great time to just test them in general. See what they are like in combat, understand how they will think during missions, see if they are able to work together well.”</p><p>“Is it necessary?” I asked. “Lord Fourth didn’t tell me anything about it.”</p><p>“I mean he probably assumed it was common knowledge,” Surudoi said. “I mean most jōnin team leaders know that-- wait what?! You’re a jōnin team leader too?”</p><p>“Yeah,” I replied. “Lord Fourth asked me yesterday when I got back.”</p><p>“You’re kidding me,” Surudoi replied, looking defeated.</p><p>“What?” Ankoku asked.</p><p>“I had to go through so many rounds of questioning and training on being a jōnin team leader,” Surudoi replied. “The process took weeks! And then you can just come in and get the position!”</p><p>“Just more showings of favoritism,” Ankoku said, throwing her hands up.</p><p>“So,” I said, changing the subject. “Are there instructions for the test?”</p><p>“I know what to do,” Surudoi replied. “But I don’t know how to explain it.”</p><p>“So I guess I will just go to the Mizukage,” I said. “After I eat these coronets.”</p><p>We continued to talk, catching up on all the things that I had missed in my time away. I found out that Surudoi had taken a few other genin teams, but none of them had passed her test. She had been looking for a spark, something that made her team a team. Something that defined them. I also found out that Ankoku and Surudoi had become good friends after I left the village. Surudoi looked after Ankoku, checking in on her and making sure she was doing alright. After we had eaten our fill and talked some more, Surudoi and I left for the Mizukage’s office. Ankoku said that she would clean up the house, tidying everything up before she had to get to the hospital.</p><p>“She has grown into a great woman,” Surudoi said.</p><p>“She really has,” I replied. “I’m just sad that I missed so much. I wish I could’ve stayed. But <span>…</span>”</p><p>“A mission is a mission. Especially one directly from the Mizukage, usually we just deal with Ao, but if Lord Fourth gave it to you it must have been important to not only him but to the village.”</p><p>“Yeah, but still I feel like I left her when she needed me most.”</p><p>“Don’t beat yourself up. There were Anbu guarding her everyday. Their presence was hidden, but they were noticeable to the extremely keen.”</p><p><em> That’s good to hear, </em> I thought. <em> At least Yagura kept his end of the bargain to assign Anbu to Ankoku. But to know that they were noticeable is disturbing. But if Surudoi said that they were only noticeable to the extremely keen, they must have been pretty well hidden. </em></p><p>We kept walking through the village. I couldn’t help but notice the shocked faces followed by a scowl. </p><p>“I guess even <em> your </em> war feats aren’t enough to change the village’s mind,” Surudoi noted. “These people do know that you literally fought the Kaguya Clan without break right? Like you literally kept them safe.”</p><p>“I can’t change how people think of me,” I replied. “I can only change how I think of myself and move on. I can’t let them affect my life. I just have to do what I need to do.”</p><p>“That’s a good outlook, but I can’t help it. It gets me, like you have done so much for the village and they just want to throw you away because you have a kekkei genkai.”</p><p>“Well I can’t help that the Kaguya Clan ruined the legacy of kekkei genkai users. I just hope that I can prove that we aren’t something to be afraid of. Show them that we can live in peace. That my kekkei genkai isn't something that should turn you away from me.”</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>“Lord Fourth,” I said, kneeling and bowing my head.</p><p>“Jōshō, Surudoi,” the Mizukage replied, nodding at both of us.</p><p>“I was wondering about the test,” I asked. “The test for new genin teams?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Ao said, dismissively. “You just need to make something that challenges them. Whether they pass or not is all up to you. There aren’t really requirements for the test, it’s just to test the genin, see if they mesh with the jōnin team leader well.”</p><p>“Surudoi has probably told you a little about it,” Lord Fourth said. “Actually, Surudoi can you show him where you are going to hold your test? Maybe give Jōshō some ideas?”</p><p>“Yeah,” Surudoi replied. “I think that would be more helpful.”</p><p>“Alright,” Ao said. “Now get out of here.” We scowled at each other and Surudoi and I left.</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>“So right over there is where I’m thinking of holding my test,” Surudoi said, pointing to a rocky shore in the distance. “I have the genin team create a plan to reach the farthest protruding rock without swimming to it or using jutsu. They get an hour and can’t test the method without me there. If they do or it is just one person making the plan without taking the other’s input, they fail. Every team that I have given this to have tried to test the plan ahead of time, automatically failing.”</p><p>“Okay,” I replied. “That makes sense. A test for the mind and body, but something that one can’t do alone. Got it. I should be able to make something that does that.”</p><p>“Just don’t steal my test,” she replied, laughing.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Turning a New Page!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So we are all alone up here,” Surudoi said. “What do you think?” I leapt away from her, preparing for a fight.</p><p>“I was waiting for you to ask,” I said.</p><p><em> Surudoi is a much faster fighter than me, so I have to be careful, </em> I thought. <em> She can easily put me on the defensive and that’s where I am weakest. I think that I will have to disrupt her with Ninjutsu. I just have to make sure she didn’t push me to the defensive. </em></p><p>Surudoi spun around bringing her leg with her, aiming it for my head. I dropped to the ground and swept my foot into her legs, disrupting her balance. She seemed to have expected that approach and altered the trajectory of her foot. Her foot was now on a direct path to connect with the crown of my head.</p><p>“Ninja Art: Thunder Armor!” I yelled. The Lightning Style jutsu covered my body in electric armor. Surudoi’s leg swung right past my shoulder and her body flipped over my head. She landed a couple of meters away, electricity trailing off her leg warmer.</p><p>“Wind Style: Vacuum Bullets!” she said. Cylindrical projectiles of chakra enhanced air flew from her mouth racing toward me. </p><p><em>She’s countering my Lightning Style defense with a Wind Style barrage, </em>I thought. <em>She is from the Nentō Clan, renowned for their intelligence. But they way she is aiming each shot. It makes it to where</em> <em>I can’t move out of the way of all of these. She knows where she is shooting these. Her precision with these shots is unparalleled, she has essentially given me no room to move, without getting hit by at least one.</em></p><p>“Water Style: Rain Hail!” I said, leaping backwards. The Water Style Jutsu connected with the Wind Style, matching its power and cancelling each other out.</p><p><em> I can’t do anything against her in straight Ninjutsu, </em> I thought. <em> I don’t have anything to counter her Water or Wind Styles. But she knows that I am a stronger overall Ninjutsu user, so she won’t keep this up for much longer. If she pushes me too far, she knows that I will resort to Gale Style. She’s going to have to switch to Taijutsu to even think about besting me. And in a pure bout of Taijutsu, she beats me. I think I have grown too reliant on what Lady Tsunade taught me. I just have to work a little bit harder than usual. </em></p><p>“Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!” Surudoi said. She opened her mouth and let out a great blast of wind, sending me flying backward. My lightning chakra completely disappeared and I crashed into a nearby collection of rocks. </p><p>“Your time away from the village has dulled your senses,” Surudoi said. “I guess that mission Lord Fourth put you on had a lot of down time.”</p><p>“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!” I yelled, channelling my chakra. “Lightning Style: Emotion Wave!” Surudoi tanked the ninjutsu, bearing the full brunt of the attack. She flew backwards crashing into the mountainside. I leaped up, quickly moving towards where my friend had crashed.</p><p>“The Lightning Water Dragon Jutsu?” Surudoi said. “You can use that jutsu? That usually requires two people, due to its complexity and double nature transformation. I knew that you possessed both, but combining them in a way that wasn’t Gale Style.”</p><p>I helped her up, moving her arm over my shoulder. She wasn’t gravely injured, but the Lightning Water Dragon Jutsu paralyzes the target and left her temporarily immobile. We headed back to the village, Surudoi slowly gaining back movement on the way. We headed back to my house and ate dinner with Ankoku.</p><p>“So, how was the hospital today,” I asked Ankoku, unwrapping my first onigiri.</p><p>“Not bad,” she replied. “There weren’t any major injuries in the field today, which is always a good thing. Surudoi are you still hurting?”</p><p>“Not really,” Surudoi replied. “I should be good.”</p><p>“I will look at you soon after I finish these dishes,” Ankoku added. “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” We kept eating, eventually stopping when Ankoku finished the dishes. Ankoku guided Surudoi to the nearby couch, preparing to attend to her wounds. Green chakra formed around her hands as they travelled over Surudoi’s body.</p><p>“Why the hell were you two fighting to this extent?” Ankoku asked. “You could have done major damage to each other.”</p><p>“We were reminiscing,” Surudoi said. “I also wasn’t fighting at full power. Which is why I lost.”</p><p>“Well,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “I wasn’t fighting at my best either. So I guess that next time we fight, we are going to have to actually try.” We all laughed, enjoying each other’s existence. Surudoi left after finishing her treatment with Ankoku and the dinner Ankoku had made.</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>I woke up early the next morning. I locked my door and turned to look at myself in the mirror. I released the Transformation Jutsu, revealing my Hundred Healings Mark, the violet diamond contrasting my fair skin. I had kept funneling chakra into the seal even though I had enough stored to have it appear on my skin. Lady Tsunade had warned me against this, but I would rather have a large amount of chakra stored in the seal rather than only have enough. I just had to deal with the risks of constant funneling, but they weren’t things that I thought could drastically affect me, at least not at the current time.</p><p>I had my test locked in my head. Something with a little bit of roaming and a good amount of teamwork. I left a note on the table saying that I had left for a meeting with Lord Fourth and the rest of the jōnin leaders. It probably wasn’t necessary, but trauma is a bitch and I didn’t want Ankoku to worry. I made my way to the Academy.</p><p>I was about to knock on the door, but I heard some light talking behind it and didn’t want to interrupt.</p><p>“What are you doing just standing out there?” Ao yelled. “Get in here!” I opened the door glaring at Ao immediately.</p><p>“Okay,” Lord Yagura said. “Now that everyone’s here. Let’s get started. There were eighteen graduates. So there are six teams, but as we all should know, only one-third of the graduates will become genin. So your tests are meant to draw out which of the teams will become full genin.”</p><p>“For you who are bad at math, that’s two genin teams,” Ao said. Surudoi and I looked at each other.</p><p>“Don’t worry,” she mouthed. “Those two teams are going to be ours.” I chuckled a little. Her confidence was ever present. It always troubled me on how she could always be so positive. She didn’t let anything in the world get to her, it amazed me.</p><p>“Okay,” Ao said. “Listen to your team arrangements. I am only going to say them once.” He started listing off the names of the possible genin in teams of three and their jōnin leader.</p><p>“Surudoi Nentō: Kibishī Hōsei, Osoi Mananda, and Yohaku Subete. Jōshō Taifū: Fumeirō Maboroshino, Kasumi Mukimei, and Saki Sāberu.”</p><p>“Go to the room of graduates and the list of the teams will be on the front desk,” Lord Yagura said. “You will call out the names of the students. After they respond, you should state your name and what team you are leading, then have them follow you out of the room. After that go and administer your tests and then report to my office.”</p><p>We all walked out of the room, finding our way to the room of graduates. I moved towards the back, we were supposed to go in based on our last names so Surudoi and I were in the back.</p><p>I was so focused on what I was going to do once I met my students that I was inadvertently standing at the front of the line for fifteen minutes. Thankfully, I was the only one left so there was nothing to worry about. I opened up the door and walked into the classroom. There were only three kids left, my team.</p><p>“Fumeirō Maboroshino, Kasumi Mukimei, and Saki Sāberu,” I said, sternly. “I am Jōshō Taifū, I am your jōnin leader.” I headed out of the room, my students reading the situation and following me out of the room.</p><p>I walked through the Academy finding the sparring area quickly. I stood on the water and motioned for the others to sit or stand. They all took a seat on the step leading down to the body of water.</p><p>“Hi,” I started, smiling and waving at the three. “Let’s start it off with some introductions. Umm <span>…</span> Tell me your name, what you want to learn, and what you hope to be when you grow up.” the lone boy of the team spoke up.</p><p>“My name’s Fumeirō Maborshino,” he said. “I’m the best shinobi in the squad and there is nothing that you two could ever do that will convince me otherwise.”</p><p>“Uh,” I said. “Let’s not create division. We are going to be working together for a long time and sometime you might not like the people you are working with but you have to be cordial or jeopardize the mission at hand.” Kasumi and Saki were glaring at the boy. Fumeirō wasn’t baking down though, turning away from the two and turning his head up in disgust.</p><p>“Sure,” one of the girls said. “That’s why you were one of the lowest scoring graduates from our class. You do well on tests but choke when it comes to application. If you can’t step up to the plate, don’t start talking like you can.”</p><p>“You know what!?” Fumeirō said, standing up and getting in her face.</p><p>“What?!” she replied. “What are you going to do?” They were nearly at each other’s throats. </p><p><em> Yagura had told me that they were all bullied by the rest of the class, </em> I thought. <em> I would bet that they picked on each other too, probably trying to fit in with the rest of the class. The fact that they are already at each other’s throats. This might be a lot harder than expected. </em></p><p>The girl drew the sword from the sheath on her back and the boy drew a kunai. I channelled my chakra emitting in from my body. The pool beneath me erupted, water shooting out of the pool, crashing onto the steps leading into it. All three of the genin looked at me in shock, my red chakra coating my body.</p><p>“I won’t stand for this team to break apart before it even forms,” I said sternly. My demeanor had completely changed and they had noticed it.</p><p>“I have lost too many teammates on the lines of battle for my genin team to be at odds with themselves,” I added. “You may not like each other now, you may not ever like each other. But on this team, we respect each other and know that we are all there for each other.”</p><p>“Sorry, Jōshō-sensei,” they said.</p><p>“Now can we get back to introductions?” I asked, calming down. “Your name?”</p><p>“My name is Saki Sāberu,” the girl replied, sheathing her sword.</p><p>“Are you the Gale Style Shinobi of the Taifū Clan?” the remaining girl asked. </p><p>“Uh,” I said, off-guard. “Yes. Yes I am.”</p><p>“Were you also targeted for your kekkei genkai?” she asked.</p><p>“I have gotten dirty looks from people throughout the Mist even though I fought for the Mist in both the Third Great Ninja War and our war with the Kaguya Clan,” I replied. “But I went on a long mission from the Fourth Mizukage shortly after the war. So I haven’t experienced as much as I should’ve.”</p><p>“My kekkei genkai has brought so much hatred on me,” the girl replied. “My own parents <span>…</span> don’t love me like other parents love their children. My sister <span>…</span> doesn’t even look at me <span>…</span> talk to me <span>…</span> acknowledge me.”</p><p>“Kasumi,” Saki said, heartbroken. “I’m so sorry.”</p><p>“It’s fine,” Kasumi said. “I will prove to the Hidden Mist that kekkei genkai isn’t something to be feared. There is nothing scary about us. I, Kasumi Mukimei, will show the Hidden Mist that kekkei genkai is something to be proud of!”</p><p>“Okay,” I replied. They were opening up more than I expected. “Hello everyone. It’s very nice to meet you! We will begin training immediately.”</p><p>“Are we going on a mission?” Fumeirō asked, his eyes lighting up.</p><p>“Um,” I replied. “No. I have one test for you all, but it is a great way of training.”</p><p>“Why do we have another test? We are genin!”</p><p>“You actually aren’t genin,” I stated to Fumeirō. “Not yet at least.”</p><p>“What?” they all said, shocked.</p><p>“Stop lying,” Fumeirō continued. “We are genin. We passed the graduation exam and were made genin.”</p><p>“Not exactly,” I replied. “You all graduated from the Academy which means you are graduates. To be a genin, you first have to be placed on a team with a jōnin leader and then must pass the test the jōnin leader gives.”</p><p>“What?” Kasumi said.</p><p>“So what’s the test?” Fumeirō said. “It doesn’t matter really because I’ll show these two up anyday.” Another argument looked like it was going to form, so I stopped it before they had the chance.</p><p>“Alright,” I started. “Remember what I said, no fighting between comrades. The test is based around two scrolls”—I held up a white scroll with a  blue strap wrapped around the center—“They are scattered in a mountain surrounding the village. You have until tomorrow at dusk to find the scrolls.”</p><p>“Oh this will be easy,” Fumeirō yelled. “We just have to have great perception skills and eyesight. Sensei, why’d you make the test so easy? Do you think we can’t handle the hard stuff?”</p><p>“Well, I didn’t say I was done. The scrolls are each guarded by a water clone of myself. You have to defeat the water clone to receive the scroll.”</p><p>“Can’t we just sneak past the water clone to steal the scroll?” Saki asked.</p><p>“No, the scrolls are embedded in the water clone so you would have to make the clone disappear to receive the scroll. And if you don’t obtain a scroll by dusk tomorrow you will be sent back to the Academy.”</p><p>“Wait what?!” they all screamed. “We would be sent back!”</p><p>“Yes, so it is imperative that you find a scroll.”</p><p>“You can’t do that!” Fumeirō yelled. “We have already graduated.”</p><p>“Just because you graduated doesn’t mean that you can’t go back to the Academy and help the next generations of shinobi.”</p><p>“What?!” he replied, stumbling backwards.</p><p>“Sensei,” Kasumi asked. “What is the passing rate of this test?”</p><p>“Uhh,” I started. “Uh, well this is the first time I’ve been a jōnin leader so this is the first time I’ve run this test or any test in general. But I can tell you that only a third of graduates become genin. So of your graduating class of eighteen only six will actually make it to genin.” The looks on their faces portrayed shock and fear. They weren’t willing to go back to the Academy, which was good. It showed that they were determined and driven.</p><p>“Alright,” I said. “Let’s get going to the starting area so that you all have as much time as possible. I wouldn’t want to fail my first genin team.”</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. The Test!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>We reached the base of a mountain that I had deemed suitable. The mountain wasn’t the steepest, but was still challenging to traverse. </p><p>“Sensei,” Kasumi pleaded. “Is this the right area? This is the fifth area we’ve been too. Please tell me that this is it.”</p><p>“Yeah,” I replied. “This one is it.”</p><p>“Alrighty then. I’m going to find one of those scrolls,” Fumeirō said, throwing his fist in the air. “And I’m going to find one before either of you do.” The girls rolled their eyes and I chuckled.</p><p>“Okay,” I said. “On my mark the test begins.” I let them gather their composure and prepare a little.</p><p>“Go!” I yelled. They leaped into the air each going a different direction. They knew that they had to be quick searching for the scrolls because there were only two so one of them wouldn’t get a scroll. They didn’t want to go back to the Academy.</p><p>What they didn’t know was that there was only one scroll, the one that I had shown them at the Academy. Along with the fact that the “water clone” that was guarding the scroll was actually just me. Of course, I wasn’t going to use any high-level jutsu or anything that could possibly majorly injure or kill them. It was really an exercise about teamwork. It was to see if they could put aside their differences and come together for a common goal. It’s what I was telling them about earlier in the day. I wanted them to think and move as a team. I could figure that Saki and Kasumi would be fine working together, they had seemed to create a semi-stable bond for now at least. It was Fumeirō that I was worried about. He didn’t seem interested in working with either of them. While it could be interpreted as just being competitive, he didn’t even acknowledge Kasumi’s or Saki’s skills, he just seemed indifferent to them, like he was better than them. Saki, however, was right. He was the lowest scoring graduate on this team. It didn’t make him any less important, however, it just showed that he was a little, maybe, overconfident or arrogant. I think that I could show him what being a part of a team is about. I would have to think about something I could do for that.</p><p>I leaped into the air, trying to find the right place to pretend to be a water clone. I strapped the scroll to the back of my belt. I tied my hair up in a bun. I didn’t want anything blocking my view. The exercise required an intent to kill as they needed to destroy the water clone to receive the scroll. I wanted the test to force the students to come at me with full force. I needed to see their abilities when they weren’t holding back. I needed them to come at me like I was an enemy in the field.</p><p>I sat down, I wasn’t far from where they would’ve started searching, so I didn't expect them to be here for a little bit.</p><p>“Found ya!” a voice yelled. I looked up, Fumeirō was standing on a tall rock not too far away. He was pointing at me, a smug look across his face.</p><p>“I knew I was going to be the first one to find a water clone,” he continued. “I’m going to get a scroll before either of them.”</p><p>“Water Style: Water Trumpet!” someone shouted from the bushes behind me. A jet of water shot out at me. I leapt into the air, dodging the blast with ease.</p><p><em> That had to be Kasumi, </em> I thought. <em> She was the only one of the graduates able to produce a higher-level Water Style Jutsu. </em></p><p>I threw a kunai at each of my students, who both easily dodged the weapons.</p><p>“Go away Kasumi,” Fumeirō said. “I found this one first.”</p><p>“Wow, you are actually going after the clones?” she replied. “I thought you were just going to try and steal from me or Saki.”</p><p>“Water Style: Super Exploding Water Shock Wave!” I yelled, water spewing from my mouth. The water started crashing into everything around me, the mountain quickly being drenched in water. Kasumi and Fumeirō were too busy taunting each other to notice the real threat, me.</p><p>“If that’s the best the two of you can put forth?” I yelled. “I should signal to call off the test now. You aren’t even close to being worthy of the title of genin.” Something caught the light from behind me. I jumped to the side, landing firmly on the water. Saki’s sword was planted firmly in the spot I had just been.</p><p>“Water Style: Water Trumpet! Wind Style: Gale Palm!” Kasumi and Saki said, Fumeirō threw a kunai and array of shuriken. The attacks headed straight for me. This was the first showing of teamwork, although it was more of a coincidence than planning and coordination. I leapt into the air, avoiding all of the attacks.</p><p>“Ninja Art: Thunder Armor!” I said, landing back in the water I had created earlier. Electricity flowed over the liquid, spreading across the battlefield. As the water had covered most of the area, so did the electricity. The genin started jumping out of their hiding spots, trying to avoid getting shocked.</p><p><em> They have to push harder if they want a spot on this team, </em> I thought.</p><p>From where I was, I was able to make out Saki and Kasumi locking eyes. Fumeirō was looking at them both, with a look of panic on his face. He had to be thinking that they were going to team up on him.</p><p>“Fumeirō,” Saki yelled. “If you don’t like us that’s fine. But we cannot beat this water clone on our own.” Fumeirō crossed his arms, but his face betrayed him. The look was of panic and fright. He was afraid that he wasn’t going to pass or that he was going to be the only one who wasn’t going to get a scroll. Saki and Kasumi jumped to where he was. I couldn’t tell what they were saying from where I was, but I had to assume that they were working out a plan.</p><p><em> Alrighty, I will pass them, </em> I thought. <em> But I need to figure out if they are actually willing and able to work together or if they can come up with a plan but not be able to follow through with it. </em></p><p>“Water Style: Hidden MIst Jutsu!” they all shouted. The mountain became cloaked in a thick mist. </p><p><em> This mist is very thick, </em> I thought. <em> It’s almost too thick for them to make. Impressive. They sure do have some immense skill when they combine their strengths. </em></p><p>“Water Style: Rain Hail!” I said, the water in the air around me started to form small bubbles. A flurry of shuriken flew at me from my left side. Most of them got caught in the bubbles of water, but there were a few that slipped past. I blocked them with my kunai, the remaining shuriken bounced off, some landing in the water bubbles.The mist was only getting thicker, even getting to the point where it felt heavy to move within.</p><p>“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” A blast of fire shot from the mountain, closing in on the fog. </p><p><em> Wait! </em> I thought. <em> The added fog, there is a Fire Style jutsu that can create a mist like substance. That once a flame is added to it, it ignites into a large fireball! That’s what they are planning. But this level of jutsu? I didn’t think that Kasumi would be able to create it. She really was a prodigy, I can’t think of many genin that could use a complex Fire Style Jutsu. </em></p><p>“Water Style: Water Pillar!” I yelled. Water spewed from my mouth, the torrent surrounding me. The blast of fire reached the mist and an explosion erupted around me. The water around me started to evaporate the steam mixing with the Hidden Mist Jutsu. Through the mist, I could see Saki dashing forward moving to swing her blade at my stomach. I moved my kunai so that it would block her blade, but she would’ve easily delivered a fatal blow if I had been more distracted. The inward curving side caught the sword. Her natural strength along with the speed she had accumulated forced me back a few feet. I flicked my wrist, spinning the blade and sending it into the floor.</p><p>“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” Kasumi yelled as Fumeirō threw a flurry of kunai.</p><p>“Wind Style: Gale Palm!” Saki said, holding her hand in front of her. Saki’s attack was point blank and sent me flying backwards. Though I was moving quickly backwards, I was able to see Fumeirō and Kasumi’s attacks flying straight towards me.</p><p>“Water Style: Giant Vortex Jutsu!” I said, aiming the jutsu at the approaching fireball and kunai. I couldn’t stop the Wind Style from continuing to knock me back. I crashed into a pile of rocks, knocking up dust and debris.</p><p><em> They were able to effectively devise a plan and follow up on it, </em> I thought. <em> They worked together despite their differences and they have managed to do a pretty good job. If I was the average jōnin leader, their attack would’ve been much more deadly. And whether they like to admit it or not they worked extremely well together. </em></p><p>“Nice work,” I shouted. “You all pass!” Their faces radiated confusion and doubt. They started looking around thinking that I was watching from a distance.</p><p>“Nope, uh,” I said, shaking off some rocks. “No. I’m the real one. Yeah, uh, there were no Water Clones. And there was only one scroll.”—I pulled the scroll from off my belt—“Yeah this one. So yeah. Umm, I lied to you all.”</p><p>“What the heck, Jōshō-sensei,” Fumeirō said. “You lied to us. I want to request a new sensei. I don’t think that I can trust you.”</p><p>“Well, I had to lie to you all or else you would have held back because you wouldn’t have wanted to hurt me,” I explained. “I mean if you would’ve known that it was actually me and not a Water Clone, would you have gone with a plan with a high level of lethality like you did?”</p><p>“No, of course not,” Kasumi said. “We would’ve come up with something that didn’t put you in so much danger.”</p><p>“Exactly,” I replied. “You wouldn’t have attacked me like I was an enemy. I needed to see how you all were going to act in actual combat. I couldn’t have you holding anything back.”</p><p>“Wait,” Fumeirō said. “You wanted us to try and kill you? Are you crazy? I don’t want to have a jōnin leader who wants his subordinates to kill him.”</p><p>“Trust me,” I replied. “I don’t want you to kill me, but I needed you to want to kill me because I needed to see if you really had what it took to be genin. And you do.” They were confused, but were happy to know that they were one of the two teams that passed the test.</p><p>“Alright,” I started. “You all can go home now. It’s getting kind of late and I want my genin to be well rested.” They headed down the mountain, the effects of the fighting had eroded the mountain creating easier paths for them to get back down. They were descending the mountain when Surudoi moved behind me.</p><p>“So you passed them?” she said. “They were good but I doubt that they will get along or last in the long run. They only seemed to work together out of necessity.”</p><p>“They did,” I replied. “But I think that the fact that they worked together at all is a step forward. They put aside their differences to complete one task, they are more likely to do it again for real. When a situation comes up where they are forced to work on their own, a situation that I somehow got taken out of, they are going to know that they have to work together to solve the problem. They may not like it and they may never but they will know that they must work together to get it done. They will know how to survive with only each other and they know how to build upon one another. They showed enough of that today. And I think that they will show even more of it in the future.”</p><p>Surudoi looked at me, concern covering her face.</p><p>“Are you sure?” she asked. “I don’t want you to get too deep into things that may never happen. And so soon after you got back to the village. I don’t know if you can handle that kind of pressure right now.”</p><p>“I want to push myself,” I replied. “I need to know that my time away from the village didn’t soften me. I need to make sure that I pass on my knowledge and experiences down to the next generation.”</p><p>“Alrighty,” Surudoi said. “I just don’t know how to feel about their team dynamic. It’s nowhere as smooth and fluid as my team’s.”</p><p>“Oh, so that’s the real reason that you want me to fail them,” I joked. “You just don’t want your team to get overshadowed.” She looked at me with death in her eyes.</p><p>“I don’t remember ever saying that,” she replied. We laughed and then headed down the mountain and towards the Mizukage’s office.</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>“You two are the first ones to have returned with a successful test result,” Ao said, looking at paperwork. “Teams 1 and 3 returned earlier both with failed results. Teams 2 and 4 are still administering the test.”</p><p>“But if they are still out there at this time,” Lord Yagura said. “I doubt that they will be passed.”</p><p>“Right,” Ao replied. “We will work you two and your teams into the rotating roster for missions.”</p><p>“They will more than likely just be D or C-rank missions,” Yagura added. “There might be an occasional B-rank, but for A and S-rank missions we will more than likely just send one of you two without your teams, unless absolutely necessary.” Surudoi and I nodded, we knew that A-rank and especially not S-rank missions were the place for genin teams.</p><p>“We will give both of your teams missions in two days time,” Ao said. “So I suggest you both work with your genin teams tomorrow, honing their skills and teamwork.” We nodded, bowed to Yagura, and headed for the door. As soon as Surudoi opened the door, Yagura spoke.</p><p>“Jōshō can I actually talk to you in private,” he said. I nodded and moved back towards his desk. He looked at Ao who was still rifling through papers.</p><p>“In private means you too Ao.” The former tracker ninja looked shocked, but promptly left the room. Once the door closed, the Mizukage spoke again.</p><p>“What do you think of the girl?”</p><p>“I think she is an exceptionally skilled shinobi,” I replied. “She probably could’ve rivalled me and Zabuza when we graduated the Academy <span>…</span>”</p><p>“You are leaving something out,” Yagura noted.</p><p>“Yeah. It’s just that I am unsure on how <em> I </em> am going to teach her anything. She utilizes two changes in chakra nature that I have no idea how to teach let alone use. I don’t think that I am the right person to be teaching her. I honestly think that Mei would be a much better teacher because they share a kekkei genkai.”</p><p>“Mei doesn’t have the battle accolades you do. She is a great shinobi, she could even be Mizukage, but Kasumi needs someone with a lot of experience. Mei simply doesn’t have as much as you. What about the other two?”</p><p>“They are good. They are quick to be at each other’s throats though. When I was doing introductions, they almost started fighting. I had to break it up.”</p><p>“I saw the damage, I thought you killed them when I saw all the cracks in the floor.”</p><p>“No, they are fine, but I am worried about the teamwork aspect of this team. They did amazing when I pushed them during the test. If I had been an average jōnin, I would have been injured, but they didn’t want to work together at first and that’s what scares me. I need them to be able to get past their differences and work together.”</p><p>“That will only come with time and experience. You are going to have to teach them that, but I have no doubts that I won’t be the hardest lesson.” I nodded, knowing the Yagura was right, but something just didn’t sit right with me. I couldn’t even place what I was feeling, but the atmosphere of the room seemed crowded, as if there were more people here than just me and him.</p><p>I wished Yagura a goodnight and headed home.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Something is Off!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I woke up the next day, with nothing planned for the rest of the day. On my walk back from the Mizukage’s office, I had decided that I would give my team the day off, directly opposing Ao’s suggestion. I wanted them to be rested for their first mission, but I also felt that they had learned a lot during their test and I wanted them to think about it. I didn’t want to bombarde their minds with regulations and rules that I wanted them to learn. I wanted them to want to come to training. I also knew that a genin’s first mission isn’t usually too strenuous, but depending on the mission it could be more than what they were expecting. I doubted that Ao and Yagura would give either team a B-rank mission, but a C-rank mission would still be something that could pose more of a challenge. I walked downstairs, finding Ankoku gone, a note near the fruit bowl.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I had to get to the hospital early today, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I read. </span>
  <em>
    <span>We had a big influx of mission injuries last night, so I might not be home until late tonight. There’s a lot of food around the house, if not there are a few new restaurants that you haven’t gotten to try yet.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I figured that the hospital was working overtime,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Especially after all the paperwork that Ao and Yagura had on their plates when I went to the Mizukage’s office yesterday. Along with the way that Ao was intently reading it. He was so focused on the reports that he didn’t even notice Yagura asking him to leave. I wonder if Surudoi decided to train with her team today. We had been separated since Yagura wanted to speak to me more, but I doubted that she would pass up the chance to train her team even more.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I walked back to my room, grabbing an apple before I left the kitchen. I sat down on my floor, moving into a position to meditate. I formed the Tiger hand seal, channeling chakra into my Hundred Healings Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This might be one of the last days, where I can funnel a majority of my chakra into my Hundred Healings Mark,” I said. “So I should spend this day moving as much as possible into the seal, in case anything goes wrong on these upcoming missions.” I kept channelling my chakra, noticing my hair starting to float and move in accordance with the chakra waves. I wasn’t emitting chakra like I did at the Academy to break up Fumeirō and Saki’s fight, so I knew that I wasn’t going to do any damage to the area around me. I deepened my meditation, increasing the rate at which I was channeling chakra into my Hundred Healings Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I heard the door open. It was a slow opening though, as if the person opening it didn’t know if anyone was home and didn't want to be heard. I pulled myself from my meditation and grabbed a kunai. I left my room, remaining as silent as possible, hoping not to warn the intruder. I saw a shadow move across the living room. I moved back, accounting for my own shadow. They were moving slowly, taking their steps very carefully. They rifled through some things in the living room, picking up some of Ankoku’s medical reports that she had left at the house. I formed the Tiger seal and channeled chakra into my body. I appeared behind the intruder, my kunai at their neck, papers flying over the living room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you?” I asked. The boy was probably around Ankoku’s age, shaggy brown hair, a blue Hidden Mist headband around his forehead. He was wearing the standard Mist uniform, nothing really special about his appearance. I moved my kunai closer to his throat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who are you? I won’t ask again.” The boy remained quiet, not even reacting to what I said or the situation he was in. I moved the kunai across his neck, water spewing from the wound. The boy’s body melted into water, soaking the furniture around us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A Water Clone,” I noted. “The user can’t be too far. I guess that it is time to look around.” I left the house, looking around as I walked outside. I focused my chakra trying to sense anyone channeling their chakra. I couldn’t feel anything, but the fact that someone broke into our house for an unknown reason was off putting.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You look lost,” a voice said. I turned to see Mei Terumī standing with her hands on her hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mei!” I said, giving her a hug. “It’s been a long time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It has. You’ve been away from the village for a while, I thought I was going to be the only jōnin with a kekkei genkai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When was the last time I saw you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have to think it was when i was sent to give you the information that Ankoku was injured.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, right.” I replied, nodding my head.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Mei started. “I heard that you took up the genin with the Vapor Style.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did. News travels fast, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well when there is a genin with a kekkei genkai, their progress is very closely tracked. She is very powerful from what I’ve read. Top of her class, only matched by one other graduate. It makes sense that you would be assigned to be her jōnin team leader. Lord Yagura probably wants to keep the strongest in the village close. That way he can utilize you at a moment’s notice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Yagura trusts you just as much as he trusts me. I was very surprised when he chose to assign the girl to me and not you. It would just make more sense for her to train under you as you share multiple changes in chakra nature.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t downplay yourself. If Lord Yagura put you in this position, he had a goal in mind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can I ask you something?” Mei shook her head, waiting for my question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If I were to send Kasumi to you for training in Fire Style and Vapor Style, would you be willing to help her?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course! It would be rude of me to not help her. Just let me know if you ever want her to have a little more training.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you so much! You have no idea how much that means to me. I was already worrying over what I was going to be able to teach her. I was talking to Lord Yagura, asking him what I could do because I can’t produce Fire or Vapor Style.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it. If Lord Yagura chose you to train her, he had a good reason. I should be heading out now, but it was good to see you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to see you too,” I said, waving at her as she walked away. She disappeared from view and I looked around trying to find the caster of the Water Clone, but I had no doubts that whoever was responsible was long gone. I went back into my house, deciding to go back to funneling chakra into my Hundred Healings Mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re home late,” I said, Ankoku walking through the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The hospital was packed,” Ankoku said. “The missions of the past few days have been going wrong more often than usual. I wanna know what is going on because there haven’t been this many injuries in a long time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have there been any specific villages that have been out to get us since I left?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing out of the ordinary. We have some scuffles with the Hidden Cloud, but our relationship ever since the Tragedy of Yosuga Pass hasn’t been the best. We don’t really come into contact with the Hidden Leaf. The same goes for the Sand and Stone. So I don’t know what is out there that is causing a lot of raucous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm. I do remember on my mission hearing of a place known as the Hidden Sound Village. But it was surrounded in an air of mystery, with not much being known about the place.” I handed her a plate of dango and a cup of green tea. “Supposedly, they take in powerful ninja clans, clans who have left their original villages, really anyone. They just amass powerful shinobi.” Ankoku shrugged, thinking about the possibility of a great village with shinobi from around the world.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you start cooking?” she asked, breaking her thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t,” I replied, embarrassed. “I bought it from the place down the road, Okura Dumplings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh that place,” Ankoku said, diggin into the food. “I heard it was amazing, but I never had time to try it out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s pretty good. I had a plate of five earlier.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So that’s why I only go three? Because you ate the rest?” I scratched the back of my head, caught in the mess I inadvertently made.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine,” she said. “I was joking. Three is more than enough.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anything eventful today?” Ankoku asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing really,” I lied. “I just meditated, trying to mentally prepare myself for my first mission with my team. I don’t think that it will be a particularly hard mission, I’m just worried that I am going to have to break up a fight between the genin like I did when I tested them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh yeah, I heard about that. You supposedly broke a bunch of stuff at the Academy’s training pool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t break that much, I just emitted too much chakra for the room to handle.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But did it break up the fight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It actually did, especially because my chakra is a red color. They probably thought I was going to kill them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“All members of the Taifū Clan have red colored chakra, which makes sense because we are </span>
  <em>
    <span>deadly</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” We laughed at her comment, though it did hold an air of truth. The Taifū Clan is one of the strongest within the Mist, information which has been known since the clan first emerged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I bet seeing your jōnin team leader cloaked in red chakra isn’t very comforting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Especially with how much chakra you emitted to partially destroy the sparring arena of the Academy. But at least they know that you are a strong shinobi. One that isn’t going to be taken out easily.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess, but still i didn’t want to scare them on my first day with them.” Ankoku finished up eating and I cleaned her plate and cup. She headed to bed, drained from her day at the hospital. I locked the front door, turned off all the lights and headed to my own room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re first mission,” Yagura said. “This has to be exciting for you three?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Lord Fourth,” Saki said. “I think that we are all very excited for our first mission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Fourth can you give us our mission already?” Fumeirō asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō,” Saki scolded. “Show some respect to the Fourth Mizukage.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just want the mission already,” he replied. “We have been here for too long already.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The youth these days,” Ao said. “Always impatient.” I glared at the former tracker ninja. Yagura noticed my glare and rifled through some papers on his desk, trying to draw our attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, so your first mission,” Yagura said. “We will have you three go through the nearby mountains and scout for a rogue animal.” Ao found the corresponding piece of paper.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” he continued. “There have been reports of a rampaging giant salamander that is frightening and even sometimes attacking incoming merchants and travellers. This is affecting our economy by pushing away incoming merchants as they are too afraid to come to the Mist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are tracking a wild animal?” Fumeirō asked. “That’s it? We aren’t going into enemy territory and taking down some enemy ninja?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō!” Saki said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō,” I said. “It’s actually very uncommon for genin to do missions of that caliber. Those types of missions are more for chūnin-level shinobi or higher. They are B-rank. This mission is actually more action than an average genin would get.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Yagura replied. “This is a C-rank mission, we usually only issue these to experienced genin or chūnin. But we feel that you three have exceptional skills that will allow you to complete this mission with relative ease.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I knew we were the best team,” Fumeirō said. “I mean I’m on the team, so I figured as much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō,” I said. “Not the place.” He looked at me, obviously embarrassed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, sensei,” he replied. “Sorry Lord Fourth.” Yagura nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You three should be more than enough to deal with this giant salamander,” Yagura added. “I have full confidence in your abilities. And Fumeirō, if you three complete this mission easily, we may assign you higher ranked missions in the future.” I saw his eyes light up, he was obviously excited and looking forward to the future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jōshō,” Ao said. “The latest reports of the creature’s location have it somewhere in the eastern mountains. It is described as being black with a purple stripe running along its sides. We don’t know if it is venomous, but whenever it appears it has been accompanied by a thick fog that can sting the skin and lungs. It isn’t debilitating, as all reports have said that the travellers affected by the creature have been able to get away from it without much harm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I replied. “Anything else we should know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The creature supposedly isn’t too fast, as the average merchant and traveller have been able to outrun it to escape the monster. However, some reports are saying that the creature has appeared from nowhere, so it may have a camouflage factor. It also might have the ability to vertically scale objects, so be careful when erecting barriers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Noted,” I replied. “Any known weaknesses? Anything we should prepare before we head out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have no idea,” Yagura said. “None of our reports have come from people who have engaged with the salamander. So we have no idea of its combative abilities. I wish that we could give you more information.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No worries,” I said. “We will just prepare for anything. If it's accompanied by a fog that can attack the skin and lungs, I suggest we head to the hospital and ask Ankoku or another Medic Ninja to create an antidote.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That wouldn’t be a bad idea,” Ao said. “Especially if the salamander is venomous, especially because your team doesn’t have a Medic Ninja.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was wondering how one would become a Medic Ninja,” Fumeirō asked. “I really would like to take up Medical Ninjutsu.” We all looked at the lone male genin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You want to take up Medical Ninjutsu?” Saki asked. “I’m surprised. I would’ve thought that you would’ve put that responsibility on me or Kasumi.” Kasumi chuckled, seemingly agreeing with the statement. Fumeirō looked at his feet, obviously a little embarrassed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well then I would definitely suggest that you take the team to the hospital before going into the mountains,” Yagura said. “It would be a good introduction to the medical world for Fumeirō and a great time for him to meet Medic Ninja and possibly Shi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shi?” Fumeirō asked. “Who is that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Shi Kangosotsu,” I replied. “He is the most well-known Medical Ninjutsu teacher in the Hidden Mist. He has taught every Medic Ninja in the Mist at one point or another. He is the head of the Mist’s Medical Corps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is getting old though,” Ao said, snarkily. “So I don’t think he will be in charge for much longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jōshō, when you get back from your mission we would like to talk about that dilemma,” Yagura said. “We are wondering who you would recommend to take his spot.” I nodded, signaling to my team that it was time for us to leave.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Preparation is Key!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The hospital was similar to every other building in the Hidden Mist, vegetation covering the roof, muted colors, and a stone-brick face. I opened the front doors, finding the hospital as I had remembered, bright lights, completely contrasting the atmosphere of the Mist outside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” Ankoku said, her lab coat swaying as she walked towards us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” I replied. “Team, this is Ankoku, my little sister. Ankoku, this is my team: Fumeirō, Kasumi, and Saki.” I pointed to each of them as I said their name. They waved at her, seemingly interested in the goings of the hospital.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So are you a special jōnin?” Fumeirō asked. “Or are Medic Ninja a special rank.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uhhh,” Ankoku replied. “I, personally, am a jōnin. But Medic Ninja can be any shinobi rank. Like our Head Medic Ninja, Lord Shi Kangosotsu, is a special jōnin. We have chūnin who work in teams with other chūnin. We train genin who are interested in Medical Ninjutsu with classes they can take during their downtime between missions. They teach genin the basics like how to control their chakra better and to form their chakra into something that can heal others. It is good for every team to have at least one Medic Ninja, especially because if you are sent far away from the village, you might be forced to retreat if your team is too injured to remain fighting. Most genin teams have one Medic Ninja amongst them, so I would say that you three should start talking about who would want to take up Medical Ninjutsu. But just because you three decide on someone doesn’t mean they will be able to take up Medical Ninjutsu easily. It requires delicate chakra control and requires a lot of studying. Sometimes your choice for Medic Ninja doesn’t have the skill set to be the team’s Medic Ninja.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would like to be the team’s Medic Ninja,” Fumeirō said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t have the Ninjutsu skill to even think about being the team’s Medic Ninja,” Saki said. “I think Kasumi would be much more fitted for the position.” Kasumi blushed, obviously not used to be complimented.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” I replied. “I think that you all should take a class and then let the teacher decide who would be best for the position. I think that way we can get an objective opinion on who would be best for the team.” The team nodded and Ankoku started to walk away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We actually didn’t come here to sign up for classes,” I said, drawing her attention. “We need to create an antidote.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Ankoku said. “Um—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ankoku,” another shinobi in a lab coat said, rounding the corner. “Lord Fourth ordered an antidote for a mission. They should be coming. They might even be here already.” I raised my hand to the shinobi.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m the leader of the team who will need the antidote,” I said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ankoku I want you to work with him,” the shinobi said, pointing to me. “Give him anything he needs.” She nodded, obviously a little annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, sir,” she replied, bowing her head. The shinobi walked down a different hallway, rushing and shouting orders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who was that?” I asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hitonakase Kangosotsu,” Ankoku replied. “He is vying for Head of the Medical Corps once Lord Shi retires. He, however, forgets that I still work at this hospital.” She smirked, she obviously knew she was better suited for the job. I guess I would have to see what Lord Great Elder and Yagura thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is Lord Shi really that old?” Fumeirō asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s getting up there,” Ankoku replied. “So I assume that Lord Fourth and Lord Great Elder are already looking for a replacement for when the time comes.” She looked down the hallway, annoyed at the occurrence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyways,” she said. “I can get started on that antidote”—she turned and gestured for use to follow her—“Just follow me to the lab.” We moved down a corridor, glass walls on each side allowing us to see into the rooms, each filled with lab equipment. There were shinobi working in each room, creating formulas and solutions to whatever a patient might be  dealing with.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>This is interesting,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Lady Tsunade obviously taught me how to make antidotes and the like. But the Mist’s Medical Corps seems to be focusing their efforts into making concoctions that could heal shinobi without the use of direct Medical Ninjutsu. It is interesting to see as Medic Ninja are trained to assess the situation and then treat it directly, only falling back to create something if direct application doesn’t work. But the Mist seems to want to create preventative measures and only have Medic Ninja if the measures fail. This obviously wouldn't apply to in battle injuries, but for something akin to an infection or being poisoned, this could greatly enhance the efficiency of any Medical Corps.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>We followed Ankoku into an empty room. She turned on the light revealing another room filled with lab equipment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So do we know what kind of poison we are dealing with?” Ankoku asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ao said that it comes with a fog,” I replied. “It is said to affect the skin and lungs. Other than that we don’t really know much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay so it’s an airborne toxin,” Ankoku said. She grabbed masks. “These will cover your nose and mouth, making it harder for the toxin to enter your body that way. But with so little information on toxin itself, it's hard to create an antidote.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” I started. “Salamanders usually secrete a neurotoxin through their skin, with contact the poison is transferred into the victim. This type of poison is extremely deadly, but it is most likely what we will be dealing with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When did you get so well versed in poisons?” Ankoku asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“While I was away I had to deal with my fair share of them,” I replied. “I guess I just learned where they came from.” Ankoku nodded, seemingly still trying to figure out what kind of mission I was sent on, to where I would gain a knowledge of poisons. I turned to my team.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I said. “I want you three to check your gear and get anything you may be running low on. Ankoku and I will work on an antidote and maybe an antivenin. Meet back here in an hour. Get food if you are feeling hungry and make sure to pack some snacks as we will probably be searching these mountains for a day or two at least.” The three rookie ninja looked at me in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Days?” Fumeirō asked. “That’s too long. I think you are underestimating us, especially me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would rather my team be over prepared for a mission than during the mission we are out of kunai and shuriken,” I said. “It’s better to have something and not need it, than need something and not have it.” Kasumi and Saki nodded, agreeing with the statement. Fumeirō mulled it over in his mind, finally agreeing with it. They left the room allowing me and Ankoku to start working. I moved to the table as Ankoku headed for the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think we have an animalia book around here,” she said. “We use it to create antidotes for known creatures, maybe it will offer us somewhere to start.” I nodded, knowing that I would have to take the backseat on this medical process even though I already had something in mind. I turned to face the workstation. I checked my surroundings, making sure that no one could see that it was me. I used the Transformation Jutsu, turning into Ankoku. I grabbed three vials from the tube rack and filled them with water. I channelled chakra into my hand, using the Mystical Palm Jutsu and channelling chakra into the vials. The water would be able to retain a bit of the healing chakra, but in the long run the solution wouldn’t be able to keep retaining the chakra.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Prison Jutsu,” I said, creating dense water and putting it into the vial. I channelled more healing chakra into the water, causing a slight green glow.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Will this counteract the poison though?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If only Shizune or Lady Tsunade were here. I need someone with the same amount of medical knowledge to help me figure this out. Lord Shi would probably be the best bet, but I don’t know where he is or what his relationship to Ankoku is.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I looked around making sure that no one was approaching. I noticed Ankoku turning the corner and released the Transformation Jutsu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is the book,” Ankoku said, closing the door behind her. “I was reading a little bit of it on the walk and it was saying something about a base that can counteract poisons of all types, but I don't know if I have the capabilities to make it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I believe in you,” I said. “Let me know what I can do to help.” Ankoku moved to the table, opening the book and grabbing the three vials I had channelled chakra into. She channeled her own healing chakra into the vials.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Grab me that beaker,” Ankoku said, pointing to a shelf just out of her reach. I grabbed the beaker, placing it in front of her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fill it with water and channel your chakra into it,” she said. “Try and move the water in a clockwise motion.” I turned on the sink, adding water to the beaker. I moved the beaker to the palm of my hand and channeled chakra upwards moving it in a clockwise motion as requested. Ankoku added the vials into the beaker one at a time. The mixture moved with my chakra, mixing itself. Ankoku moved to a cabinet, grabbing a container of what I could only assume was ground pearls, a natural antidote that was easy to come by as we were surrounded by the ocean. She poured some dust into the mixture causing it to turn a dark red color.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s unfortunate that we won’t be able to test this,” Ankoku said. “We are shooting in the dark with this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” I replied. “I know how good you are. Whatever you give us will be great.” She smiled. I placed the beaker down, letting the liquid settle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Should we make a stronger dose, in case the salamander is more poisonous than we thought?” I asked. Ankoku agreed, using four syringes to pull out a portion of the liquid. She handed me those four.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Use these first,” she said. “And if they aren’t strong enough, use the stronger one we will make.” She added more ground pearls into the remaining liquid, darkening its color. I placed the beaker on my palm again and channeled my chakra into it. Once the liquid seemed thoroughly mixed, I placed the mixture down on the table again. However, this time Ankoku was only able to pull three syringes of the antidote.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful with these,” Ankoku said. “You already don’t have enough to cover for both your team and yourself. So please be careful. We don’t need any more casualties.” She looked worried, almost scared that I wasn’t going to come back from this mission.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” I replied, pulling her into a hug. “It won’t come to that. This is an easy mission. I’ve done worse when I was a lot younger.” We giggled a bit, lightening the mood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I said, pulling away. “I think the team should be meeting me outside soon. Thank you so much for creating an antidote.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t thank me until it works and you’re back,” Ankoku said. I chuckled and headed for the hospital’s entrance. I walked out of the hospital, finding my team already there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Took you long enough,” Fumeirō said with his arms crossed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were finishing up making the antidotes,” I replied. “You don’t want to go into the mission without enough supplies.” Kasumi nodded, gripping herself tightly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kasumi, what’s the matter?” I asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing sensei,” she replied. “I’m just nervous about our first ever mission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kasumi,” Fumeirō replied before I could speak. “As long as you have me on the team, there is nothing to worry about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, Fumeirō,” Saki said sarcastically. “Your word doesn’t mean anything if you can’t back it up and this is your first chance to do so.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s right Fumeirō,” I said. “This is everyone’s first chance to prove themselves. Show me why I made the right decision to take you up as my genin team.” They were enthralled by my words, fires lit behind their eyes. They were determined to prove me right, they wanted me to know that I made the right choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We reached the base of the nearest eastern mountain. There was a defined path through the mountain range that surrounded the village. This was the path most merchants and travellers took to leave the Hidden Mist Village and travel further into the Land of Water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay everyone,” I started. “This is the last known location of the giant salamander, so everyone be alert as we don't know much and it could be anywhere.” They nodded, knowing that we were walking into an unknown situation with a pretty unknown threat. We had to be on high alert as we were dealing with something we didn’t know a lot about. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saki, I want you to take up the back,” I said. “Kasumi take up the lead. Fumeirō and I will be the middle of the group. Fumeirō, you and Kasumi will take up the front, if anything comes up in front I want you two to combine paper bomb kunai and Kasumi’s Misty Flames Dances. Saki and I will take the back half, if anything comes up, Saki I want you to engage with your sword, I’ll follow up with whatever I see fit.” They nodded, moving into the formation I just described. We started moving along the path, keeping our eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We moved slowly along the path, our progress slow and cautious, another reason why I placed Kasumi in front. At the speed we were going we were able to not only fully canvas our surroundings, but also begin to pick things apart looking for traces of the creature. We kept moving, unable to find anything that could lead us to the salamander.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sensei,” Saki whispered. “Just past the rocks we passed a while ago,”—I slightly glanced back at her, moving my head to be able to see the position she was talking about without drawing too much attention—“There is slight movement. Maybe not enough to be the creature, but enough to be something.” I nodded, noticing the shifts in the foliage as I looked at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō,” I said. “Tell Kasumi to slow down a little bit more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?!” he replied, obviously annoyed. “We are already going so slow, why do you want to go even slower!” Suddenly, a knife flew out of the brush heading straight for Kasumi. I moved Fumeirō behind me, drawing a kunai and striking the incoming projectile out of the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone on guard,” I said. “This creature might not have appeared here naturally.” There were hushed whispers from the bushes, the attackers were planning something. Kasumi and Fumeirō drew kunai while Saki drew her sword.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Watch each other’s backs,” I said. “Don’t worry about me.” They nodded, moving together and guarding each other’s backs. I drew my own kunai, throwing another into the bushes that had just attacked us. Shadows flew out of the foliage, surrounding us on all sides.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bandits,” Saki said. “They must’ve brought the salamander with them to scare merchants into dropping supplies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” one of the bandits said, stepping forward. “It looks like this group isn’t one comprised of merchants.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. A Brush with Bandits!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So someone’s information was wrong when they said that the next group on the path would be a merchant group!” the seeming leader yelled. Some of the group cowered, afraid of what might happen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And now,” he continued. “We are dealing with ninja from the Hidden Mist. One of which is Jōshō Taifū. Whoever gave me this information won’t be here to give me anything else.” He was looking around, probably trying to find the person who gave him the false intel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what’s with the giant salamander?” I asked. “Just a coincidence or did you bring it with you?” The leader moved aside, revealing another group lugging the giant salamander with them. It was muzzled but there was no doubt that it was producing some kind of fog. The carriers had cloth masks, as we and the rest of the bandits did. However, the bandits were covered in cloth, seemingly not revealing any portion of skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Your little friend is pretty smart,” he said, pointing to Saki. “We did bring the creature with us to scare merchants into dropping valuable supplies on their escape, but that plan doesn’t seem to profit as much as we thought it would. So we have opted just to rob people as we used to. You four are lucky to be our first victims.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know who I am,” I threatened. “So I would suggest that you walk away and leave the salamander with us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh,” the leader said, pretending to mull it over. “No!” The bandits charged, their knives out and ready to strike.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Create some cover,” I said. “We are outnumbered.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!” we said, creating a thick fog surrounding the field.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t hold back,” I said. “Cause they definitely won’t.” They nodded and leaped away from me. I turned towards the leader, preparing to strike.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suggest that you hand over the giant salamander and we can end this all nicely,” I said. The leader chuckled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You may be a great shinobi, but we don’t care,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, then,” I replied. “Welcome to the Blood Mist.” I channeled more chakra into the Hidden Mist Jutsu, causing the fog to thicken. I disappeared within the Mist and remembered my training in Silent Killing. I ran forward, the curved edge of my kunai aimed straight for the bandit’s leader. I blitzed him, killing the man before he could say a word. Several of the bandits turned, hearing their leader’s body hit the ground. I kept moving, killing more of the group. I regrouped with my team, who were taking out more of the bandits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“These bandits aren’t putting up much of a fight,” Saki said, slicing another across the chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They probably haven’t fought anyone like us before,” Fumeirō said, throwing a shuriken into another.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Kasumi said. “They probably are off their game because they aren’t able to see us. They can’t see through the Hidden Mist Jutsu, they are just running in a direction hoping that they hit us. They are fighting at a disadvantage, something they probably aren’t used to.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you suggesting that we clear the mist and give them a chance?” I asked, chuckling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean they aren’t doing too much right now,” Fumeirō said. “So what’s the harm?” I shrugged and channelled chakra all over my body. I emitted the chakra similar to what I did at the Academy when I first met them. My chakra dispersed the thick fog, revealing the remaining bandits. The ground cracked beneath my feet, spidering out around me. My genin struggled to keep their balance. All the bandits turned towards us, noticing the dissipation of the fog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sensei,” Kasumi said. “You have to warn us before you do that next time. Your chakra is just too powerful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kill them,” a bandit said. “For Muhōmono!” They charged at us, their weapons drawn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get ready,” I said. “This is the fight you three wanted.” I leapt out of the way, allowing my team to fight the fight they wanted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you going?” Fumeirō asked, seeing me move away from them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m going after the giant salamander,” I said. “There’s a portion of the bandits that are trying to run off with it. Our mission to deal with the creature, not the bandits. I leave them to you.” I saluted my team and leaped after the bandits and their creature.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They are trying to escape,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They are moving farther east, probably gonna try and escape with the salamander and regroup once they are safe. The bandits my genin are fighting are probably just being used as a distraction. After all the number of bandits we first encountered and the number after I cleared the mist were drastically different. Most of the group probably escaped when we used the Hidden Mist Jutsu. This was probably their plan if they were to ambush people who could overpower them. They never planned to fully face someone stronger than them. I'm just surprised that they didn’t use the giant salamander to their advantage. They had to have had a reason, either they think we would have easily killed the beast or they are trying to lure us into a trap.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I had easily caught up to the group of bandits, slowing down before being directly on top of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where are you going?” I said to myself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I have to watch them, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yagura and Ao just thought that this was a raging creature, but if it was brought here, what was its purpose? To disrupt the Mist’s economy, possibly forcing us to reach out to another nation and ask for financial support? No that would be crazy, none of the other great nations would risk attacking another to try and force an alliance. Especially if it worked and then that information came out, there would be another war on their hands. We need answers and I’m not going to get them by attacking first and asking questions later. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I closed my eyes, tracing my chakra pathways in my mind. I slowed the chakra I was sending to my hands and feet. It would theoretically dampen my footsteps and grabs, making it harder for the bandits to hear me following them. It was something that Lady Tsunade taught me how to do, however, its requirement for intense chakra control made it something even difficult for Shizune to consistently reproduce.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They aren’t following any given path, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They are just running around, seemingly aimlessly. Without their leader, they don't seem to know where to go. I guess killing was for the best. It was like I cut the head off the snake. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok so what are you going to do with that salamander?” I asked myself. “I have an inkling that you don't even know what to do with it, especially now that your leader is out of the picture.” I continued to follow the group, keeping my distance and gathering as much information as I could.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where the hell are we supposed to be going?” one of the bandits said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Without Muhōmono,” another continued. “We don’t know what we are doing. We should just go back and attack them with the salamander. We can probably get them with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you crazy?” another bandit said. “Their leader was Jōshō of the Electric Water! He is, like, famous for killing people who go against the Hidden Mist.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is crazy strong,” the first bandit said. “I bet that he has already killed everyone that we left behind. He probably would have killed us all without even breaking a sweat. I mean did you see what he did with the mist that they created. He completely dispelled it with that red aura.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How have we never run into him before?” a bandit said. “We have been doing this for months and the Hidden Mist haven’t been able to catch us with the teams they have sent before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They probably decided to send in a heavier hitter,” another bandit replied. “I mean we have evaded every other team that they have sent after us. They probably decided that they have had enough of us messing with their precious economy. With us running out a bunch of their regular merchants, we probably have been messing up the incoming merchants who would rather just skip coming to the Hidden Mist than possibly turning up dead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re right,” I said, crashing down on the group. Dust kicked up from where I landed, blinding the group of bandits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Mizukage sent me to end this threat,” I said, the dust fully clearing. “Well, I was just sent to end the salamander. We didn’t know that a group of bandits were behind the creature. But now we know what we need to do.” I rushed the group, the curved edge of my kunai facing outwards. I was able to blitz the closet bandit before the rest of the group was able to react.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Retreat!” a bandit yelled. “We can’t take him!” A smaller group of the bandits moved to take up the giant salamander’s cage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Leave the salamander,” the bandit continued. “It’s outlived its usefulness.” The smaller group followed the orders, moving to leave the area. The bandit who had spent the last moments shouting orders, broke the lock while passing the creature.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re a legendary shinobi from your clan,” she continued. “But you will die from this salamander’s poison.” The salamander moved to exit the cage, nudging the now unlocked door. I grabbed a kunai from the pouch on my back, preparing for the monster to attack. The monster was adjusting itself to its surroundings, trying to figure out where it was. It had sickly yellow eyes, almost like it was dying. It let out a small growl, locking its eyes on me. It moved closer to me. Its movements were slow and burdened, it probably didn’t have much rest nor the ability to move often, but it was aggravated, which was good for the bandits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have fun!” the bandits yelled from the distance. The monster growled, releasing a toxic fog from its body. I made sure that the mask Ankoku gave us was secure on my face. I didn’t know if the antidote we had concocted would be able to protect me from the salamander’s poison. However, I gave my genin the stronger version of the antidote, so if the first antidote couldn’t help me, I might have a hard time. The bandits were escaping, but the objective of our mission was the salamander. I threw my kunai, striking it right between the eyes. The creature didn’t seem to react, not even seeming to notice that it had been hit. It opened its mouth, shooting a poison towards me. I leaped out of the projectile’s way, looking back as it melted the ground where I last was. The air around the salamander started to fill more with its toxic fog.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If I don’t kill it soon,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I am not going to be able to hit it. With how this fog is being generated, I might not even be able to see it if it gets thick enough. I have to strike soon. Should I use my Chakra Enhanced Strength? I doubt that Yagura would care, but I don’t know if Ao knows and my team will probably wonder how I killed it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Rain Hail!” I said, forming large bubbles of water around me. I held them in the air, choosing not to release them immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I don't know what the hell this thing can do,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’ll use these as a defensive buffer, like how I did during my fight with my team. And if it comes down to it, I can just throw up a Water Pillar. It should be able to dilute the poison, but I don’t know what much else it does.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alrighty mister salamander,” I said. “I just have to kill you real quick. Nothing personal, just a mission.” I threw a flurry of kunai at the monster. They all embedded themselves in its skin, but seemingly causing no pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It hasn’t reacted to any of my kunai,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Even though they have all been direct hits.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lightning Style: Earth Flash!” I said, channeling chakra through my hands. Electricity traveled towards the salamander. It made no attempt to avoid the blast of electricity. The jutsu connected, travelling over the amphibian’s body and grounding itself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What?! </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That Lightning Style essentially had no effect. It just travelled over the creature’s body and was grounded. So, Lightning Style jutsu won’t work on it. I guess I have to kill it another way. It seems to secrete a liquid that allows it to insulate its body, preventing electricity from affecting it. So how the hell did these bandits, catch this creature to begin with.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Water Shuriken!” I yelled, firing the Water Style jutsu at the creature. The shuriken shot past the creature, forming minor cuts in the creature’s skin. The monster again seemed unaffected, ignoring the minor lacerations. It reared its head, launching another volley of acid. I formed the necessary hand signs, spewing the Giant Vortex Jutsu from my mouth. The water counteracted the venom, crashing to the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>My Water Style counters his venom, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But that means that we don’t have anything to take each other out. How the hell did the bandits capture this creature the first time? They couldn’t have shocked the creature unconscious as it secretes a coating that prevents electricity from reaching it. Wait maybe they did shock it!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!” I said, spewing the jutsu from my mouth. “Lightning Style: Emotion Wave!” The Lightning Water Dragon Jutsu shot towards the creature.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Water Style should clear the salamander of that insulated coating, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And then the Lightning Style will shock the creature unconscious, or dead.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The cooperative ninjutsu hit the creature, knocking it up into the air. The creature let out a loud roar, confirming my plans. The creature crashed back into the ground, creating a crater around it. The amphibian was still moving, so the impact didn’t kill it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Clone Jutsu!” I said, creating another version of myself near the creature. “Water Prison Jutsu!” I encased the creature in heavy water, preventing it from moving.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alrighty,” I said to the creature. “I’m gonna leave you here with me, but don’t worry I will get back to you. I just have to handle the people that captured you to begin with.” I leapt into the nearby trees, trying to find any signs of where the bandits could have gone. Thankfully, they were bandits and not shinobi so their path wasn’t very hard to miss. There was a clear disruption in the brush around the area that showed that people had passed through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now would they have prepared a trap for me?” I said aloud. It wasn’t beyond my realm of belief that they would set a trap just in case I got past the salamander, but would they think of that while rushing to flee? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll be careful,” I continued. “Just in case.” I grabbed two kunai from the pouch on my back and followed the path. They were easy to follow for a bit, but the path slowly became harder to follow. They had either started to regain composure or their numbers had dwindled. I leapt down from the tree line, trying to see if I could spot any footprints that could give me a more definite conclusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Weird,” I said. “Their footprints are in all directions. It’s like they broke apart, like they called it quits as a group. They probably guessed that without the salamander or their leader, they weren’t going to be doing so great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I followed the most defined path to a cave. The tracks grew harder to find as the ground turned to solid rock, but I could tell that at least some of the bandits were within the earthly structure. I pulled a kunai from the pouch on my back and headed into the darkness.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. The Genins's First Taste!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written from Kasumi's perspective<br/>Takes place at the same time as the events of the previous chapter. The first sentence of this chapter gives you a time frame for the break in stories and should help a little with the timing.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jōshō-sensei leapt after the bandits, leaving us to deal with the rest of the bandits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he going?” I asked, preparing for the fight ahead of us.</span>
</p><p><span>“I’m not sure,” Fumeirō said. “But we need to handle this. You two just follow me. I don’t want either of you to get in my way.” Saki and I looked at each other and shook our heads.</span> <span>I looked around, the bandits closing in.</span></p><p>
  <span>“Saki,” I asked. “What’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” she replied. “Jōshō-sensei left the bandits for us to deal with, so I guess we deal with them.” I chuckled and turned to Fumeirō. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you hear the plan?” I asked. He rolled his eyes and nodded. Saki moved ahead of us, her sword drawn. I moved closer to her, kneading chakra in my stomach.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Water Trumpet!” I said, spewing water through my cupped hand. The blast of water moved towards the bandits, knocking them back. Saki leapt towards the nearest one using the opportunity to strike. She swung her sword, blood flying from the attack. Fumeirō followed her lead, jumping into the bandits. He swung his kunai, planting it into a bandit’s chest. Saki moved closer to Fumeirō, blocking a bandit’s knife from connecting with Fumeirō’s head. I leapt at the blade locked bandit, kicking him into a nearby tree. I looked at the rest of the bandits. They were grouping up, perfect for me and Saki to attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” I said, forming the necessary hand signs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wind Style: Gale Palm!” Saki said, outstretching her hand. The two jutsu headed towards the grouped bandits, connecting and creating a large explosion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell was that?” Fumeirō asked. “I didn’t know that you could create a jutsu </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> powerful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t either,” I said, looking at the damage we had just caused. “What the hell just happened? I didn’t mean to do that? Oh no!” I looked at my hands, trying to figure out what I just did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” Saki said. “I used a jutsu too. Whatever happened, </span>
  <em>
    <span>we</span>
  </em>
  <span> did it, not just you.” I nodded, trying to gather myself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t even control my own jutsu?</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>If the other team finds out about this, the target on my back is only going to get bigger. They are going to try and take the one thing I have away from me, my graduation placement.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s go find sensei,” I said. “Hopefully he’s taken care of the rest of the bandits and the salamander.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s gonna be happy that we are meeting up with him so soon,” Fumeirō said. “He probably expected that he was going to have to come back and help us. Well, Kasumi was strong enough to stop them all at once.” I tried to hide my face, fearing that it would show too much of what I was thinking. We moved past the charred corpses and further in the direction of Jōshō-sensei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what’d think Jōshō-sensei will say when he sees us?” Fumeirō asked. “I think he’s going to be super proud, but also tell us that we have a lot of work to do. Which I mean, is true for you two. But me, I think I’m already a top-tier genin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If you are the basis for a top-tier shinobi,” Saki replied. “Kasumi and Kibishī are Kage-level. And I don’t even want to think what Jōshō-sensei would be classified as.” I laughed at Fumeirō’s arrogance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” he said. “I think that it’s important for someone to always think of themselves as the best or else you start to worry about what you can’t accomplish.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But if you believe that you’re the best,” I replied. “You start to ignore the things around you that could make you better. No one is beyond improvement, probably not even sensei.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Speaking of sensei,” Saki said. “You two know who he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span>, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I know who our sensei is,” Fumeirō said. “He is famed to be one of the biggest factors in our victory against the Kaguya Clan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” I added. “It is said that he never needed to recover his chakra. He was able to just keep on fighting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Saki said. “He and the former member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Kisame Hoshigaki, are each said to rival the chakra reserves of a Tailed-Beast. That’s crazy to even think about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right,” Fumeirō said. “We are being taught by one of the best shinobi in the Mist today. Maybe even in the Mist’s history. Even his sister. She is one of the best Medic Ninja in the Mist right now. Their entire clan is like crazy strong.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And they have been a part of the Mist since its creation,” I added. “Which is why they are members of the highest caste. Not many clans can say the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Saki said. “The Taifū, Kangosotsu, and Nentō are the only clans in that caste. Most of the rest are in the second caste and a small amount are in the lowest.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s it like in the higher castes?” I asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Saki said. “My clan is part of the second caste. So we have no idea what the highest caste is like. But the second caste is nice, nothing outstandingly nice but nothing outstandingly bad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the same for my clan,” Fumeirō replied. “We don’t see any problems in our sector, but nothing makes me want to jump with joy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our sector is bad,” I revealed. “It makes sense as we are the lowest caste, but it’s not anything that is appalling, I would say. Our living spaces aren’t very big, but it’s just me, my sister, and our parents, so we don’t take up too much space. We have a space higher than most, so we have a nice view of the Mist, but I’ve always wondered what it’s like for the other castes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our living spaces aren’t bad,” Saki said. “We have smaller living spaces than the highest caste, obviously, and we don’t have to live with as many people in our buildings as the lowest caste. But I definitely wanna see what Jōshō-sensei’s house is like. Because every family in the highest caste has their own house. Each of the clans doesn’t have many members in total, so the Mist is able to easily house them all without them having to co-occupy houses.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It must be so nice for them,” Fumeirō said. “They don’t have to deal with other people near their home.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We definitely have to ask Jōshō-sensei if we can go over to his house after this,” I said. “I have to see what that’s like. You two make it sound so cool.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll definitely ask him when we meet up with him again,” Saki said. We kept on travelling for a few more minutes, trying to find any traces of Jōshō-sensei. The forest was dense and since none of us specialized in tracking, finding a path was hard.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait,” Saki said. “Do you two smell that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought one of you just passed some gas,” Fumeirō said. Saki and I looked blankly at our male teammate.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’re going to pretend we didn’t hear that,” Saki said, shaking her head. “Kasumi please tell me that you didn’t think the same.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Obviously not,” I replied. “It has to be something unnatural as none of the vegetation around here is different from anything we have passed. So there would be no reason for the smell to differ here.” I peeled my eyes, trying to find anything that could be deemed out of the ordinary. I noticed a sliver of black amongst the greenery of our surroundings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look ahead,” I said. “Do you two see that sliver of black amongst the trees? That’s either sensei or the salamander, or both.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can you be sure?” Fumeirō said. “What if it’s the bandits?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The bandits weren’t wearing black surprisingly,” Saki revealed. “They were wearing greys and colors that were more closely matching the surrounding area. Along with the fact that the salamander was a black color with purple stripes running along its back and down its limbs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How can you remember all that?” Fumeirō said. “I got the best test scores in the class and I couldn’t even recall what the bandits were wearing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s exactly why you scored so low on the overalls,” I said. “You aren’t able to apply your skills. You are undoubtedly the smartest person in our group. But the fact that when it comes to the heat of combat, you easily forget small factors that could be useful down the road.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exactly,” Saki said, backing me up. “You easily run circles around us intellectually, but the fact that once we get into a situation where your intelligence would be useful, you seem to freeze up. You can’t apply anything in that big brain of yours.” Fumeirō looked down, blushing at the compliments.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don't know what happens,” he responded. “I know exactly what is needed to do most anything we could come across as genin, but whenever I need to actually do it, I can never recall what is needed. It’s like when I need to access the information, there is a block that keeps me away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” Saki said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “Just like you said, we are training under one of the strongest shinobi in the Mist, he will be able to teach us so much.” He nodded and we headed towards the sliver of black amongst the trees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sensei!” we said, landing next to him. Jōshō-sensei didn’t move or really even react to our presence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the heck, sensei?” Fumeirō said. I looked closer at sensei, something wasn’t right about him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good job capturing the salamander,” I said. Saki and I were both looking at our sensei closely. He wasn’t the same, but I couldn’t put my finger on what was different.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saki?” I said. “Do you think we should?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s our safest option,” Saki said. “We can’t mess this up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you two talking about?” Fumeirō asked. “What are you gonna do?” Saki and I simultaneously struck our sensei, water crashing down from where he stood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Clone,” Fumeirō said. “Wait, the Water Prison!” Saki and I turned to see the Water Prison break, releasing the giant salamander.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” I said. “That could be a problem.” We leapt back, regrouping and preparing to fight the creature.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is everyone able to easily access both of the antidotes that Lady Ankoku and sensei made for us?” Saki asked. Both Fumeirō and I nodded, knowing that we would be able to defend ourselves against the amphibian’s poison. We all adjusted our masks, making sure that they covered both our mouth and nose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Saki added. “So I noticed that the bandits that were tasked with directly dealing with the salamander were covered in bandages or extra clothing. So, either they were injured in the capture of the creature or its poison can do a lot of damage to skin over time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay so,” I replied. “What can we do to counter it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We need a base,” Fumeirō said. “It will counteract an acid. Water should be able to fill that role for us, unless the acid this salamander produces is too powerful for the base to counter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” I said. “I’ll be on defense, stay behind me and attack from a distance. I’ll initiate and I need you two to follow up on me.” They nodded and prepared for my move. The creature roared, emitting fog from its body. I threw a kunai with a paper bomb attached.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” I said. The projectile flew forwards, connecting with the kunai and exploding right on top of the salamander. The creature let out a roar of pain, flames engulfing its face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t seem to like fire,” Saki said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe the toxic fog that it creates,” Fumeirō theorized. “Has reactants in it that spark when introduced to heat.” Fog began to reform around the creature, providing it with cover.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It also looks like the creature can’t control whether or not it expels fog,” Fumeirō added. “So, if Kasumi can just keep hitting it with Fire Style Jutsu, we can easily incapacitate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think Lord Mizukage wanted us to kill the creature, right?” Kasumi said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Fumeirō replied. “But I think that if we are able to bring it in alive, we might be able to gain a lot of knowledge from studying this creature. Possibly the knowledge to create airborne toxins or something that could help us should we fall into another war. That’s probably why Jōshō-sensei trapped it in a Water Prison.” Saki and I mulled over Fumeirō’s reasoning. It was a good idea as we didn’t have the numbers to directly compete with most of the other Hidden Villages, so any advantage we could get could be useful.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll try it,” I said. “But if we can’t take it without killing it, we are going to have to go through with the original mission.” Fumeirō shook his head in agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” I said, shooting another ball of flames at the creature. It opened its mouth shooting out a liquid that immediately doused the fireball.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that?” I asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Fumeirō said. Saki looked at the aftermath of the attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it was venom,” she said. “Look at where the rest landed, there is an indentation in the ground. Like it was corroded away. Plus look at the rest of the mark in the ground like that one. They were probably from when Jōshō-sensei fought the salamander.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alrighty,” Fumeirō said. “We have to be careful as it spits venom, corrosive venom. But from what we have seen so far, Kasumi’s Fire Style is able to stalemate it, at least we have that going for us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” I replied. “But we still have to be careful because I don’t think that the antidote was made to counter corrosive acid.” They nodded and we moved apart, making it harder of the salamander to hit all of us with a single attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” I said, shooting another fireball at the creature. The salamander released another shot of venom, meeting the fireball before it could make contact.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wind Style: Art of the Gust Blade!” Saki said, swinging her sword in front of her. A blade of wind was released from her sword and flew towards the creature. The blade cut the creature’s side, leaving a large and deep cut on its skin. The fog around the creature started to thicken as a great volume of it was released front the gash.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Everyone get back,” I said, leaping further backward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So that creature secretes the toxic fog from within its body,” Fumeirō said. “But we need to contain that fog or douse it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Water Trumpet!” I said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Raging Waves!” Saki added. Our Water Style jutsus headed towards the fog, taking it in and turning a dark green.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Throw a lined kunai at its feet,” I said. “Curve it so that it is trapped in its place.” We each threw a kunai, wrapping them around the creature’s feet. We gripped the lines tight, trying to keep the creature in place.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Try to topple it,” Saki said. “If we can get it on its side, we might be able to knock it unconscious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Fumeirō said. “I don’t think that we have a way to do that. None of us have a jutsu that could possibly knock it unconscious. I think we are going to just have to kill it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Saki asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Fumeirō said. “We can’t risk ourselves and the village just trying to capture it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” I said. “Everyone let go of the lines on my signal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!” I said, signalling my teammates to drop the lines. The Fire Style jutsu travelled along the lines connecting with the creature. It roared as its body was engulfed in flames. The roars slowly died out as the creature charred.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Sensei?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Partially written from Fumeirō's point of view, but switches back to Jōshō's pov at the use of the 霧隠れ symbol</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So where did Jōshō-sensei go?” I asked. Kasumi and Saki looked around.</p><p>“He left a Water Clone here with the salamander,” Saki said. “So he must have gone after the rest of the bandits.”</p><p>“Unless,” Kasumi added. “He left a Water Clone here so that he could meet back up with us, back where we were.”</p><p>“I think we would have run into him, right?” I asked. “I mean we would've taken similar paths, right? Even if we didn’t run into each other directly, he probably would have heard or spotted us a little.”</p><p>“Okay that makes sense,” Kasumi replied. “So where could he have gone?”</p><p>“I guess we are going to spread out and see if we can find any signs of a path,” Saki said. “Look for something that could have led Jōshō-sensei that way. Maybe he did go after the bandits, so don’t rule their presence out just yet.” We all nodded and leaped in different directions.</p><p>After thirty minutes of searching, we met up in the same area with the now charred salamander. None of us looked like we had found anything substantial, but we still conferred on what we had seen.</p><p>“I didn’t find much,” I started. “There weren’t any definite tracks for me to follow, but there were hints of recent movement. But that could be from an animal or anything that lives here, not necessarily bandits or Jōshō-sensei.”</p><p>“I got pretty much the same thing,” Kasumi said.</p><p>“Okay so,” Saki said. “I didn’t find much either, but I did find something that shows that there were bandits here.” She held up a piece of torn gray cloth.</p><p>“Could that be from sensei?” I asked.</p><p>“I doubt it,” Saki replied. “The only thing that sensei wears that is gray is his arm guards, which aren’t made with the same material as this.”</p><p>“Where did you find this?” Kasumi asked.</p><p>“It was caught on the underside of a bush,” Saki answered. “It was almost unnoticeable, I just happened to see something out of place when I was looking.”</p><p>“So let’s hope that sensei caught it too,” Kasumi said. “If not we could be heading straight towards a large group of enemies without major backup.” We looked at each other, worried about what could be ahead of us.</p><p>“Don't worry,” I said. “We can get through this no problem. Even if Jōshō-sensei isn’t there, we are the best genin team in the Mist. I don’t think that we will have a problem with a group of bandits.”</p><p><em> Hopefully, </em> I thought. <em> Jōshō-sensei is chasing after the bandits because if he isn’t we might be going home later. I mean just the sheer number of bandits that surrounded us earlier <span>…</span> If we didn’t have Jōshō-sensei hadn't taken out so many and if Kasumi’s jutsu didn’t act up, we might still be back there fighting bandits. </em></p><p>I looked up, seeing the rest of my team ready to move out. I nodded and we headed towards where Saki found the cloth.</p><p>霧隠れ</p><p>The cave floor was damp, its soft ground molding to the bandit’s footprints. Even with some moonlight trickling in through the cave’s entrance, the darkness within was thick and unwavering. I moved further into the darkness, trying to see but failing to find anything.</p><p>“Gale Style: Laser Circus!” I said into the darkness. I clasped my hands, releasing the kekkei genkai into the cave. The electric beams lodged themselves into the cave’s walls, illuminating the area. I followed a now illuminated path, seeing nothing in my way in terms of both obstacles and bandits. I kept walking deeper into the cave, keeping my eyes peeled for any movement. After fifteen minutes of walking without any signs of bandits, I stopped, choosing to look down trying to see if the footprints were still visible.</p><p>“Where the hell did they go?” I said, the ground completely untouched.</p><p>“We’re right here!” a voice said from the shadows. I looked up seeing what had to be the rest of the bandits encircling me.</p><p>“We thought you might follow us in here,” another said. “So we decided to just ambush you.”</p><p>“Really?” I replied. “You all saw what I did to your leader before. You really want to try something that will get you killed?”</p><p>“Oh trust me,” the female bandit that released the salamander said. “You will be the only body on this floor.” They charged at me. I pulled two kunai from my back pouch and prepared for the fight. I leaped over the closest bandits, planting my kunai in their back. I grabbed a group of shuriken and threw them at the farthest bandits. They toppled over, leaving the world of the living. I looked at the rest of the group. They wouldn’t be a hard fight, but they didn’t seem to be the killing force that lady bandit had bragged about. I charged the nearest bandit, taking him down before he could react. I saw the lady bandit watching my moves carefully, seemingly allowing her team to be killed to try and find a weakness.</p><p><em> What is she up to? </em> I thought. <em> There has to be something bigger here that I’m just not seeing yet. </em></p><p>I threw another kunai, planting it in another bandit’s chest. There weren’t too many bandits remaining, but I still didn’t know what this lady bandit could have in store.</p><p><em> I should regroup with my team, </em> I thought. <em> I need to put some time in between me and this fight. Hopefully, I can make it to where they will have forgotten key details about my fighting style. </em></p><p>I threw down a smoke bomb, engulfing the area. I ran out the way I had come, leaving the cave and hiding in the nearby trees. I moved a little farther back, using the trees as cover, hoping that the bandits wouldn’t be able to spot me.</p><p>“Sensei!” I heard from behind me. I turned around to see my team, heading my way.</p><p>“How did you all find me?” I asked. “Also, what happened to the bandits I left you with earlier?”</p><p>“Well,” Fumeirō said. “We took care of those guys pretty quickly, if I don’t say so myself.” Kasumi looked down at her feet, either embarrassed or worried about something.</p><p>“Kasumi, what’s up?” I asked. I noticed the bandits slowly making their way out of the cave. “Hold on to that, actually. Everyone down.” They all ducked, trying to figure out what we could be hiding from.</p><p>“The bandits?” Saki said. “They were in the cave?”</p><p>“Jōshō-sensei,” Fumeirō said. “You ran from them? Who are you and what have you done with our sensei? Cause our sensei would have beaten them without breaking a sweat.”</p><p>“Trust me,” I replied. “It wasn’t much of a fight, but there was this one bandit. She seemed off, like just watching me, studying me.”</p><p>“Maybe she has a crush sensei,” Kasumi said, chuckling.</p><p>“No, I don’t think that was it,” I said. “She was almost absorbing my fighting style. Almost like she was absorbing my chakra.”</p><p>“Well,” Fumeirō said, looking at my body. “Do you feel any weaker? I know physical weakness is a side effect of chakra drainage.”</p><p>“No,” I replied. “I have far too much chakra to be affected by a few minutes of chakra absorption, but something is off about her and possibly the rest of the group.”</p><p>“What are you thinking?” Saki asked.</p><p>“I don’t think these are regular bandits,” I answered. “At least, not here. I think she is a former or rogue shinobi. Something about her is pushing me towards the fact that she has been trained as a shinobi.”</p><p>“Do you think we can handle her?” Kasumi asked.</p><p>“I’m not sure anymore,” I replied. “I didn’t get to see any of <em> her </em> skills. She was letting the rest of the bandits do her fighting for her. So I have no idea what she is capable of.”</p><p>“Oh c’mon sensei,” Fumeirō said. “She can’t be too strong or else the Mist would’ve dispatched this threat a long time ago.”</p><p>“That’s the thing,” Saki said. “The Mist didn’t even know that bandits were behind the salamander’s attacks. You heard Lord Mizukage and Lord Ao. They thought it was just a rampaging wild salamander. They didn't even suspect human involvement.”</p><p>“Right,” I replied. “We have to capture and interrogate her. That way we can figure out what is going on with everything we have learned today.”</p><p>“Got it,” they said.</p><p>“So when she comes out of the cave that’s when we strike,” I said. They nodded and turned their heads towards the cave’s entrance. A few minutes passed and the rest of the bandits had made their way out of the cave, searching through the trees, trying to find me.</p><p>“Have you found him yet?” a voice said from within the cave.</p><p>“Not yet, ma’am,” a nearby bandit said. “But he couldn’t have gotten too far.” The lady bandit moved out of the cave’s mouth and into the broad daylight.</p><p>“Good,” she replied. “Because we cannot have the Mist learning of our involvement with the giant salamander. It would hurt Lord Orochimaru’s plan for the Mist.”</p><p><em> Orochimaru! </em> I thought. <em> There’s no way that they are working with Orochimaru! Why would Orochimaru want something to do with the Mist? </em></p><p>“Sensei,” Kasumi asked. “Who is Orochimaru?”</p><p>“He is one of the Legendary Sannin,” Fumeirō replied. “They are three super strong shinobi from the Land of Fire, more specifically the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I don’t even know if sensei is strong enough to take them on.”</p><p>“Oh trust me,” I replied. “They are on a whole ‘nother level of shinobi. My best probably couldn’t even match them.” My student looked at each other, obviously very worried.</p><p>“Alright,” I said, trying to clear their minds. “Let’s get to dealing with these bandits.” They nodded, but I knew that they were hiding their fear of the unknown. We jumped down from the trees, weapons drawn.</p><p>“Looking for me?” I asked, smirking.</p><p>“Ahh perfect,” the lady bandit said. “Now you see, we can’t have any witnesses to our little going-ons. You get it right?” She started channeling chakra, her hair starting to float.</p><p>“Trust me,” I replied. “You couldn’t beat us if you tried.” I started channeling chakra of my own, my own hair floating around me.</p><p>“You sure are a strong shinobi,” the lady bandit said. “Too bad I was trained by Orochimaru. Not even you can match the strength of a student of a member of the Legendary Sannin.”</p><p><em> She’s right, </em> I thought. <em> Not even my training under Lady Tsunade could prepare me to fight any of the original Sannin. But she isn’t Orochimaru, no matter how long she trained under him, just like how I wasn’t Lady Tsunade even after seven years of training under her. </em></p><p>“Last time I checked,” I said. “You aren’t Orochimaru. So I think we should be able to manage.” The female bandit scowled, disapproving my statement.</p><p>“I will show you how strong Lord Orochimaru made me,” she said, her aura of chakra growing stronger.</p><p>“You three handle the bandits,” I said. “I’ve got the leader.”</p><p>“This is going to be another quick fight, huh,” Fumeirō said. “Just like when we first ran into the bandits.”</p><p>“Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!” we said, covering the area in a thick mist.</p><p>“Haha,” the leader’s voice echoed. “You’re going to need more than that to deal with me.” The leader shouted, clearing the fog just like I had earlier.</p><p><em> She’s strong, </em> I thought. <em> She might even be my caliber of shinobi. </em></p><p>“Water Style: Severing Wave!” I said, spewing the high pressure stream out my mouth.</p><p>“Earth Style: Mud Wall!” she replied, erecting a large barrier. “No matter how much water you create, it will never be able to cover all earthen structures.”</p><p>“So you know basic changes in chakra nature,” I said, snarkily. “Do you want the title of Kage?” The bandit scowled.</p><p>“Amachua,” another bandit said. “Stop playing with him and kill them already.”</p><p>“Yeah, Amachua,” I taunted. “Kill us already. Show us the power of a student of Orochimaru.” She rushed towards me, drawing a sword from her mouth.</p><p><em> What the hell, </em> I thought, leaping backwards. My genin split up from me, heading towards the rest of the bandits. I moved farther into the trees, trying to put more distance between myself and my team, hoping to keep them safe from any fallout.</p><p>“Lightning Style: False Darkness,” I said. The lightning shot towards the lady bandit. She avoided the attack, jumping to the left.</p><p>“Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!” she said, releasing the jutsu from her mouth.</p><p>“Water Style: Water Dragon Jutsu!” I said. The jutsu clashed, cancelling each other out and leaving a thick layer of mist.</p><p>“Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu,” I said quietly, thickening the already present mist. I drew a kunai, preparing to use Silent Killing to deal with Amachua.</p><p>“Don't think that you can deal with me with Silent Killing,” Amachua said, appearing behind me with her sword. I blocked her sword strike with my kunai, sparks flying from the blade lock.</p><p>“Lord Orochimaru trained me in the blade,” Amachua said. “You won’t be able to match up.”</p><p>“You’re right,” I said. “But I just needed you to get close. Lightning Style: Electric Needle Spark!” I spun around her, raising my arm and generating electricity. I thrust my hand into her back, sending the electric current into her body. The shock sent her body flying into a nearby tree, knocking her unconscious. I chased after her, preparing to subdue her.</p><p>“Water Clone Jutsu,” I said, creating a copy of myself. “Water Prison Jutsu.” I trapped her in a sphere of heavy water.</p><p>“Alright where is my team?” I said, looking back to the entrance of the cave.</p><p>“They’re probably dead,” Amachua said. “Knowing my team, those kids are probably dead on the forest floor.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t talk,” I replied. “You will drown faster. And trust me, they are much stronger than your team. Don't underestimate them. They are much stronger than you would think.”</p><p>“Sure,” she joked. “Three kids are going to be able to take down a team of fully trained bandits.”</p><p>“If that team of bandits is fully trained,” I said. “My genin will have an easy time dealing with them. I mean I took down a number of them without even trying.”</p><p>“Sure,” Amachua said. “Of course my team is going to be easy pickings for a legendary shinobi from the Mist. But for kids, genin specifically <span>…</span> You might want to check on them.” She laughed. “Afterall, they certainly aren’t on your skill level.” I glared at her.</p><p><em> She’s right, though, </em> I thought. <em> My kids could be biting off more than they can chew. Especially if these bandits are as well trained as she says they are. </em></p><p>I leaped towards my team, hoping that I would be able to get there in time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. A Surprise for Sure!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Written from Saki's pov</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>I looked at the remaining bandits, my sword drawn. Jōshō-sensei and the bandits’ female leader had disappeared into the trees, leaving us all alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kasumi, Fumeirō,” I said. “Be careful we don’t know what these guys are capable of.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh c’mon Saki,” Fumeirō replied. “We’ve already taken down more guys than are here now, we will be fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Saki is right,” Kasumi added. “Be careful. We don't know what we are up against.” Fumeirō rolled his eyes, but he gripped his kunai a little bit tighter, drawing it closer to his body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Amachua really left us with the kids,” a bandit said. “Alrighty boys, let’s get this over with.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Trust me,” Fumeirō mocked. “Fighting us isn’t going to be a walk in the park.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Kid,” the bandit replied. “You three bit off more than you can chew when your teacher left you with us.” The bandits ran at us, their kunai drawn and ready to strike. We all leapt back, giving ourselves room to maneuver.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They attacked with kunai, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>The rest of the bandits we have gone up against have used regular knives or swords. But these are using ninja tools. Something is different about them and I think we are going to find out the hard way.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Be careful,” I said. “Something is different about these guys. It might have something to do with that legendary shinobi their leader mentioned.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You think they could’ve been trained by Orochimaru?” Fumeirō asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have no idea,” I replied. “Their leader said she was, so I wouldn’t put it past them to also have been trained by him. We have to be ready for anything. We have no idea what we are up against.” They nodded, acknowledging what kind of danger we could be in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Hidden Mist Jutsu!” we said, recreating the previous dispelled fog.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ugh,” I heard one of the bandits say. “Not this again. I guess they only have one trick. I shouldn’t have expected anything else. They’re just kids.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I said quietly. “Let’s show them what we really can do.” I signaled for them to follow my lead and we headed towards the bandits. I rushed forward, aiming my sword at the nearest bandit’s torso.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hah,” he said, blocking my blade with his kunai. “Nice try though.” Kasumi and Fumeirō came up behind me, leaping over my body and delivering a kick to the bandit’s face. Their attack sent the bandit flying into the distance, reuniting him with his teammates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Keep your guard up you idiot,” one of the other bandits said. “They’re still Mist ninja, they have to have some skills.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Water Style: Water Trumpet,” Kasumi said, sending a jet of water towards them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They have changes in chakra nature?” the last bandit said. “I mean more than just the stupid mist jutsu they have been using.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who the hell are they?” they asked. “Genin shouldn’t be able to utilize changes in chakra nature. It should be too advanced.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What can we say?” Kasumi said. “We aren’t your average genin. Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two changes in chakra nature? What the hell?” they said, dodging the attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wind Style: Art of the Gust Blade!” I said, imbuing my sword with Wind chakra and swinging it towards the bandits.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They all have changes in chakra nature under their belts?” one bandit said, shocked. “What the hell is the Mist giving their children?” I signalled for my teammates to follow me. We rushed towards the bandits, using the Wind Style as our cover. The bandits barely avoided the attack, allowing us to get in close and lock them in combat. I maneuvered my sword, bringing it further down on the bandit, forcing him onto his back knee. I channeled chakra into my blade, remembering my clan’s technique.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell?” the bandit said. “The Samurai Sabre Technique? That’s unique to the samurai of the Land of Iron. How the hell do you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My clan immigrated to the Hidden Mist a long time ago from the Land of Iron,” I replied. “We are samurai!” I forced my blade down, putting more pressure on the bandit’s defense. His kunai broke in half, allowing me to get in close and cut off his right arm. I maneuvered my sword, separating his head from his body. Kasumi and Fumeirō had taken care of a bandit each, leaving the rest of the group in shock at how quickly we had taken down some of their members.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wind Style: Gale Palm!” I said, outstretching my hand. A bandit flew backwards and crashed into a nearby tree. I leaped towards Kasumi, swinging my blade at the incoming bandit’s head. He ducked the attack and rolled away from us. I threw a kunai in Fumeirō’s direction, getting a bandit off of him too. We regrouped and tried to come up with a different plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can’t take them on,” I stated. “There are too many.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Kasumi said. “We can’t fight them with Taijutsu. They have the advantage on us just because they are older and stronger. We have to rely on our Ninjutsu and Genjutsu.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Fumeirō said. “I’ll start it off and you two finish it up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you have in mind?” I asked, trying to work together a plan.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got this super cool Genjutsu,” he replied. “It’s called the Misty Follower Jutsu. It will create copies on me that will attack the guys.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But it’s Genjutsu so it won’t do any actual damage,” Kasumi said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But they don’t know that,” he retorted. I mulled it over, trying to figure out how we could capitalize off the technique.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I said. “You do that, the Kasumi will hit them with the Fireball Jutsu and I’ll use my Wind Style. We will keep them on their toes and hope to hit them with either of our jutsu.” They nodded, moving into position for the plan. We leaped back, hiding in the trees. Fumeirō formed the necessary hand signs, signalling the start of the plan. Figures bearing a similar resemblance to Fumeirō started to appear out of the ground.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell?” I heard one of the bandits say. “What is going on? Where did they come from?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They probably have some sort of Clone Jutsu under their belts,” another said. “We shouldn’t put it past them, especially because they already have changes in chakra nature.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” a bandit said. “It doesn’t look like these clones are going to be able to do anything to us. They barely even look alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So let’s take care of them already, so we can kill the kids.” They rushed towards the Genjutsu, their kunai passing through the figures. With each strike, however, the clones multiplied, creating more and more for the bandits to deal with.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell?” one of the bandits yelled. “What is going on? Why didn’t the clones disappear?” I looked at Kasumi, she was ready to launch an attack at any time. I signalled to her and threw out a flurry of shuriken. She followed suit, releasing a wave of projectiles. I signalled for us to move, knowing that our attacks had given away our position.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Incoming!” I heard the bandits say. The sounds of the metal clashing with metal filled the air as the bandits blocked the projectiles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” Kasumi said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wind Style: Art of the Gust Blade!” I said, swinging my blade in front of me. The Fire and Wind Style attacks headed towards the bandits. The fireball morphed with my arc of wind, taking on its form.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that?” I asked. “Why did your Fire Style change its shape?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Kasumi replied. “I didn’t do that.” The attacks struck the bandits, engulfing them in flames. They were too busy trying to defend themselves against the shuriken for them to properly avoid the attacks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice work, you two,” Fumeirō said, collapsing to the ground, beads of sweat rolling down his face. “It’s a good thing too, cause I don’t know if I could’ve kept that Genjutsu up for much longer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it super chakra taxing?” I asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not really,” he replied. “But it’s the first time that I’ve used it. And I think I put too much chakra into it for the amount of figures I created.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice work,” we heard a voice behind us say. “You three did pretty good. And you combined your Wind and Fire Styles to create a more powerful combination jutsu.” We turned to see our sensei, carrying the bandits’ leader on his back. She was wrapped in some jutsu and was seemingly uncocnsicous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We combined our jutsu?” Kasumi asked. “What does that mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” our sensei replied. “You three obviously know about changes in chakra nature. You each have Water Style, which is changing your chakra into a water element. But Kasumi also has Fire Style and Saki has Wind. Well those changes in chakra nature can be affected by combining or countering them with another change in chakra nature. When you utilize both Fire and Wind Style together, you create a stronger jutsu, as wind will always strengthen fire.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So is that what happened just now?” I asked. “When Kasumi’s Fire Style morphed to the same shape as my Wind Style.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” he replied. “Your Wind Style strengthened Kasumi’s Fire Style allowing it to take the same shape as your Art of the Gust Blade.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But what about earlier?” Kasumi asked. “We didn’t combine any jutsu then, but my Fire Style was so much stronger.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we did,” I retorted. “When you used your Fire Style, I also used Wind Style: Gale Palm. So maybe what you did back there wasn’t a lack of control, but a combination of our strengths.” Kasumi looked at me, she was obviously still worried, but I could see her coming around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Jōshō-sensei asked. “What are you all talking about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Earlier,” I replied. “When you left us with the other group of bandits, Kasumi used her Fire Style, except this time it was so much stronger than usual. I told her that it had nothing to do with her losing control because I had launched my own jutsu too, so we were of equal blame for the outcome.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What jutsu did you two combine?” sensei asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I used the Fireball Jutsu,” Kasumi replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And I used the Wind Style: Gale Palm,” I said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“See you two did the exact same thing that you did right here,” he replied. “You combined your Fire and Wind Styles again. This time it didn’t take the shape of Saki’s Wind Style because the Gale Palm is a push, so it sped and powered up Kasumi’s Fireball Jutsu.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So everytime that we use Fire and Wind Styles we will create something more powerful?” Kasumi asked. “So we should always attack together when using Ninjutsu?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don't have to exclusively attack together,” our sensei replied. “But if you do attack together, your attacks will be a lot stronger. So don’t only look for opportunities to attack together, but if there is an opportunity use it.” We nodded, now knowing that us working together would create even more trouble for anyone who came across us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S-sensei?” Fumeirō asked sheepishly. “Would I be able to do anything like that with either Saki or Kasumi? With my Ninjutsu or even Genjutsu?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” he replied. “It really depends on your ability to use changes in chakra nature. If Saki, let’s say, is able to change her chakra into a Lightning Nature, you all would be able to use your Water Style and Saki would then be able to channel Lightning chakra through it. But I would have to oversee all of your training more to see what can happen.” Fumeirō looked at his feet. He obviously felt left out because he couldn’t create a combination jutsu like Kasumi and I, but I think that Jōshō-sensei’s words were changing something inside of him. I think that it made him want to work harder, so that he could create something amazing with us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” our sensei continued. “We are just starting our journey together. There is a lot I have to teach you three.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you think that we will become powerful shinobi?” Fumeirō asked. “I mean I’m already powerful, but do you think that you can help them”—he pointed to Kasumi and me—“catch up to us?” We all laughed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry,” he replied. “You three will become great shinobi after training with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We better be,” Fumeirō said. “Or I’m gonna be mad. I mean I get to train under one of the strongest shinobi of the Hidden Mist and I don't turn out to be amazing myself. Yeah that would just be embarrassing for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wouldn’t consider myself one of the strongest shinobi of the Hidden Mist,” sensei replied. “I’m just an elite jōnin, nothing more.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure, sensei,” I said sarcastically. “You are just from one of the strongest clans in the Hidden Mist, are the next head of that clan, and were said to be able to fight the entire war against the Kaguya Clan without a break to restore your chakra.” He looked embarrassed, obviously called out for being too humble.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” he said, trying to change the subject. “Let’s go get that salamander.” My friends and I looked at each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Umm,” I started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Kasumi said. “About that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Jōshō-sensei asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We kinda killed it,” Fumeirō said, scrunching his face. We all leaned back, trying to put some distance between ourselves should Jōshō-sensei get mad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what exactly happened?” he asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So we dealt with the bandits you left us with pretty quickly,” Kasumi replied. “So we headed in the direction that you went, trying to catch up to you, hopefully in time to help against the salamander or the rest of the bandits. We were able to catch up to you or so we thought. But it ended up just being a Water Clone of you, but we didn’t know that and thought someone was impersonating you, so we destroyed it. And well when it ended up being a Water Clone, we were confused obviously. But what we didn’t consider was that your Water Clone was maintaining the Water Prison around the giant salamander. So we ended up freeing it and we had to fight it obviously because it wasn’t going to let us just get away from it. So we fought it and won, but we kinda killed it in the process. And then after that we were able to track you down and that’s when we ran into you in the trees.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did you three kill it?” he asked. “It was impervious to ninja tools and my Lightning Style.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wow,” Fumeirō said. “It wasn’t affected by Lightning Style? Or ninja tools?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” our sensei replied. “It seemed to be coated in a liquid that made all my lightning ground itself and it showed no reaction to getting struck multiple times by kunai.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” I said. “We found out that Kasumi’s Fire Style would ignite the cloud of toxic fog around it, so that’s what we initially tried to do. But it obviously also realized that and used its venomous spit to counter Fire Style. But I was able to cut it with my Art of the Gust Blade, which made it leak more toxic fog. But we were able to throw lined kunai and wrap them around its feet. We were trying to subdue it because we figured that you thought of something that it could be used for to help the village and that’s why you captured it and didn’t kill it. But when it proved too dangerous with it releasing a lot more toxic fog, we had Kasumi use her Fire Style to ignite the large volume of toxic fog, burning the salamander in the process.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Jōshō-sensei said, deciphering the story. “Nice work. You three worked well together, which is good because that is what confirmed me taking you on as my team. But I have to admit that I didn’t capture the monster for that reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Fumeirō asked, all of us shocked. “Then why did you capture it? It was our mission to kill the monster.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I’m a little embarrassed to say it,” our sensei replied. “But I didn’t have anything that could significantly damage the creature. I was hoping that it would drown in the Water Prison by the time that I got back to it.” We all looked at him, our faces dropped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t be serious!” Fumeirō said. “You can’t seriously have been banking on it drowning.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” our sensei said, defensively. “I couldn’t think of anything else! Alright, let’s get back to the village. We need to report what we have found to Lord Fourth and Ao.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re never going to live this down sensei,” I said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I probably won’t,” he replied. We headed back towards the village, Fumeirō’s beaming smile stagnant the entire way.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Medics Everywhere!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Partially written from Jōshō's pov, switches to Fumeirō's upon the third use of 霧隠れ</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“So the salamander was brought to the Hidden Mist by a group of bandits?” Ao said. “Interesting. Do you know what they wanted with the Hidden Mist?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” I replied. “But I was able to bring back their leader. She said that they were working under Orochimaru. So he might have been the one who sent them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would Orochimaru try to make more enemies though,” Yagura said. “He is already against the Hidden Leaf. I would think that Orochimaru would seek out help from the other Great Nations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She’s still alive,” I added. “So if you want to interrogate her we can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Taking hostages isn’t really the Mist’s way,” Yagura said. “But in this case, good call. We need to figure out what Orochimaru is planning, especially if he is trying to bring down the Hidden Mist. I assume that your team did well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” I replied. “They were actually the ones that brought down the salamander. Apparently its toxic fog didn’t mix well with Kasumi’s Fire Style.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, you couldn’t take down the creature yourself so you had your team do it for you?” Ao asked, snarkily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ao,” I replied. “Trust me. That creature would’ve been more than you can handle. And no, I was going after the bandits and if I didn’t we wouldn’t have known about Orochimaru’s plan. So Ao I suggest that next time you want to say something like that, you refrain. Or I will take away the only eye in your body that actually belongs to you.” Ao gritted his teeth, seemingly ready to move on me.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stop it, you two,” Yagura said, moving between us, his staff drawn. “Ao tell him why we really kept him past the mission debrief.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Um yes,” Ao continued. “We would like your opinion on who should become the next Head of the Medical Corps. As you know Lord Shi is getting pretty old. So we are going to need to figure out his replacement, should his time come earlier than expected.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” I replied. “Shouldn’t he be a part of the decision making process too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He is,” Yagura said. “But he wants your opinion on the four options he has picked out.” Yagura brought up four folders, each contained a different Medic Ninja and their respective data.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look through these,” he continued. “And come back to us when you have narrowed it down to two.” I picked up the folders and moved to leave when Yagura continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Also, do not let personal bias affect who you choose to become the next head. Lord Shi trusted your insight, don’t let that leniency affect the outcome.” I was obviously confused, but I nodded agreeing with Yagura's statement. I left the building and headed home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I woke up the next morning, ready to read through the files and choose two candidates for the next Head of the Medical Corps.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What was Yagura talking about ‘don’t let personal bias affect my choice,’</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. I opened the first file and found the answer to that question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ankoku,” I said to myself. “She’s up for the position. That’s why they told me not to let my bias affect my choice.” I looked through her file.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Highest score in her Medical Ninjutsu class,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I read. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She apparently started working at the hospital directly under Lord Shi, which is noted to be rare as he usually just trains people nowadays, he doesn’t really work with that many.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Interesting,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She was certainly making a name for herself after I left.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She is often chosen to undertake extremely stressful surgeries and operations due to her delicate chakra control and steady hand, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I continued to read. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She is often seeked out by other Medic Ninja when they are unsure of the correct course of action.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“They made note of her age,” I noticed. “It’s both a positive and negative.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Her influence in the hospital is quite impressive when accounting for her age, especially in comparison to many of her coworkers,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I read. </span>
  <em>
    <span>But it also shows some immaturity when compared to said coworkers. She is also a lot less experienced in field combat as her age doesn’t lend her any major wars to partake in as a Medic Ninja. She also doesn’t have the same hospital work experience as the other candidates. But that can also be attributed to her not working there for as long as them.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh,” I said. “Now that is interesting that they mentioned that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She was trained as a Genjutsu user, so the fact that she is as good at Medical Ninjutsu as she is attests to her strength in the area, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I read. Their file was very thorough, even showing her class ranking from her time in the Academy. I switched to the next file.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hitonakase Kangostosu, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I read.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s the same guy who was ordering Ankoku around at the hospital,” I said. “Well, Ankh did say that they were both up for the position. So what are his qualifications?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Member of the Kangostosu Clan, known for their prowess with Medical Ninjutsu,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I read. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Started working under Shi immediately upon graduation from Medical Ninjutsu classes. Replaced by Ankoku Taifū upon her graduation.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“And that’s why he hates her so much,” I said. “She essentially took his position from him. And when she was taken under Lord Shi’s wing, he hadn't done that for years. Essentially since Hitonakase’s graduation. It’s like she showed Lord Shi that there was promise in the next generation of shinobi.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hitonakase doesn’t really have any big feats, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I read. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He was a newer Medic Ninja during our war with the Kaguya Clan, so he wasn’t given many combat duties, more pushed to be a part of the back line medics, where people would be taken if they were injured on the battlefield. Instead of being on the battlefield and healing on the spot. He has an insane amount of the hospital work experience. He is set to be the next Head of the Kangostosu Clan. He also graduated top of his Medical Ninjutsu class.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That might be a running theme with these candidates,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I mean Lord Shi would only want the best to be the Head of the Medical Corps, but I’m assuming that he would want someone with the experience too.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I perused through the other two files. Nothing really stood out to me about either of them. They were both the top graduates from their classes. They had both worked a good amount of time in the hospital, but neither had much in combat experience.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So I will suggest Hitonakase and Ankoku,” I said. “Lord Shi will have to choose between the next head of his clan and the young prodigy. Wait, what time is it?” I looked at the clock on my wall, seeing that I was already late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damnit,” I said. “I’m late to the hospital.” I quickly got ready and rushed to the hospital.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry I’m late,” I said, meeting my tea at the hospital’s entrance.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on sensei,” Fumeirō said. “We have been waiting for ten minutes. They delayed the class because we were your team.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, well,” I said. “I’ll tell them I’m very sorry, but also very thankful for their leniency. Alright let’s get in there.” I walked with my team in front of me. Hospital workers guided us towards the room where the class was being held.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for showing up Jōshō,” Hitonakase said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you for waiting for my team,” I replied. “And I apologize for my tardiness.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You are lucky that this is the only class that team leaders need to show up for,” he added. I smiled at him and left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jōshō,” I heard a voice say. “Please stay, I have a request for you.” I turned around seeing the current Head of the Medical now in the classroom.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Shi,” I said, bowing my head. “Of course.” He motioned to move to the front of the classroom. I followed the motion and stood next to Hitonakase.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Welcome,” Lord Shi said. “This is an introductory class for Medical Ninjutsu! This will help us determine who in your team is best suited to be a Medical Ninja. Though some of you may want to be Medic Ninja, you may not possess the skill set needed to be one.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Today we will figure out who the best candidate is and only they will be brought back to the next classes,” Hitonakase continued. “So do your best here or risk never becoming a Medic Ninja.” I looked at my team, Fumeirō was obviously nervous. He was the worst Ninjutsu user of the three and only barely outclasses Saki in chakra control, which wasn’t saying too much. This might be what he wants to do, but he might not be cut out for it, a harsh but possibly true reality.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jōshō, please step forward,” Lord Shi said. I moved forward, grabbing the beakers of water that he handed me. “Please use your chakra to move the water in your right hand in a clockwise movement and the water in your left in a counterclockwise movement.” I channeled the chakra in my hands, following what the elder said. I heard sounds of amazement from the class.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is chakra control,” Lord Shi elaborated. “We are lucky that Lord Jōshō is here as he is the best at chakra control in the village. I’m sure you all have heard stories about how he was able to fight the entire war against the Kaguya Clan without a break to restore his chakra. That’s not only due to his immense chakra reserves, but also because of his precise chakra control.” He motioned for me to hand him the beakers. I stopped channeling my chakra and handed him the containers. He motioned for me to leave, I bowed and exited the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jōshō-sensei exited the room, disappearing from view. He had shown us what chakra control was and it was so cool. I looked at Kasumi and Saki, they didn’t seem super nervous, but me, I was sweating bullets.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>If I don't pass this class, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I literally won’t have anything going for me. I will be nothing more than a burden to this team. I mean Kasumi and Saki can combine their Ninjutsu to create more powerful attacks that do a lot of damage. I have to be able to do something. If I can’t I might just end up an eternal genin, hopping from team to team while these two move on to be great shinobi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I stared at the beaker in front of me. Lord Shi and Hitonakase had handed them out while I was trapped in my own mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Lord Hitonakase said. “Grab the beaker in front of you just like how Jōshō did. Then begin to channel your chakra into the bottom of the beaker. Imagine your chakra moving in a clockwise formation.” I grabbed my beaker, trying to imagine exactly what Lord Hitonakase said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, Fumeirō,” I heard Saki say. I opened my eyes, finding the water in the beaker, steadily swirling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” I said, excitedly. Suddenly the water burts of out the beaker, getting all over me. I could hear the class giggling and I turned red with embarrassment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That is what can happen if you lose focus,” Lord Hitonakase said. “If you were to be performing a surgery such loss of control could cost your patient’s life. You always have to be in control of your chakra, putting too much chakra into something can be just as dangerous as not putting enough chakra into it.” I looked at my teammates, Kasumi wasn’t having the hardest time with it, but she was able to achieve the same success I had. It just took her longer. Saki, however, was struggling, she couldn’t seem to grasp the aspect of moving her chakra.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Finally,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Something that I am good at that the rest of the team can’t do as well. I was really worried about Kasumi as she is the best Ninjutsu user on the team.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“You seemed to have picked up chakra control pretty easily,” Lord Shi said. “That’s good, but don’t worry about the loss of control. I’m assuming that this is your first time using chakra control for something like this.” The class continued on for the next few hours. We tried to channel our chakra into different liquids. They were all different than the water we were initially given, but they each supposedly represented substances that we could end up working with in a lab. We were always going to be dealing with water or something similar to it. After all of us were able to showcase our skills to Lords Shi and Hitonakase, they finally made their decisions on who would be the Medic Ninja for the teams. They listed off people from the other groups there and finally got to us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For Team 6,” Lord Hitonakase said. “We choose Kasumi Mukimei.” My face dropped.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kasumi got chosen over me, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>So there really is nothing that I bring to this team. I can’t help them in any way. I’m just a burden.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lords Hitonakase and Shi,” I heard Kasumi say. They looked at her obviously confused by her input. “I think that Fumeirō would make a better Medic Ninja than me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have chosen you to be your team’s Medic Ninja,” Lord Hitonakase continued. “I suggest that you follow our advice.” I looked at Kasumi, her face dropped.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” she said. “Thank you for the opportunity.” We soon after left the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sorry, Fumeirō,” Kasumi said. “I really tried my best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. “If they chose you to be the Medic Ninja, then you should be the Medic Ninja.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s the thing,” Kasumi continued. “I don’t want to be the team’s Medic Ninja. I—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So you get the opportunity of a lifetime and you are just going to turn it down to rub it in my face?” I yelled. “You know I actually thought that if I became the Medic Ninja you two might actually need me, but you don’t I get it. I’ll just go.” I stormed out of the hospital, ignoring my teammates calling me, trying to talk to me.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>She literally has everything that i would have ever wanted, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought, running away. </span>
  <em>
    <span>And she is just so willing to throw it away because she doesn’t want to have it. She took my dreams and now she is just going to rub it in my face that I can’t do anything. Ugh, I hate her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō?” a voice said above me. I looked up to see my sensei.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” I asked. “Are you going to try to get me to apologize to Kasumi? Cause I won’t.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” he replied. “No, what happened?”—he shook his head—“No. That’s not why I found you. Lord Fourth wants the recipients of the Medic Ninja role to report to his office so that he can change your classification. So I came to you as I assumed that you were the one that got the role.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” I replied. “I wasn’t chosen by Lords Shi and Hitonakase. Kasumi was.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” he said, placing his hand on my shoulder. “I’m sorry. I’m sure that there is a way that we can change that. I’m sure that Kasumi wants you to be the Medic Ninja just as much as you want to be it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She already tried to tell them, but Lord Hitonakase told her to follow their advice as they were the trained Medic Ninja.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, let’s go to Lord Fourth and see what they said about the team in their report. Maybe we can see why they chose Kasumi and maybe we can influence Lord Fourth to overrule their decision.” I nodded, tears falling down my face. We headed towards the Fourth Mizukage’s office, my last chance of distinction just a light in the distance.</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. An Assassination Attempt!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Lord Fourth,” Fumeirō said. “I would like to be the Medic Ninja for my team.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Shi and Hitonakase chose me,” Kasumi said. “And to be frank, I don’t want to be the Medic Ninja and I believe that Fumeirō’s passion and knack for it would make him better suited for the role.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Yagura said. “Let’s see what they had to say about each of you.” Ao handed him a file.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alrighty,” he continued. “Well, umm, Miss Saki, uh—”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Saki replied, chuckling. “No worries, I didn't want to be the medic anyways.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alrighty,” Yagura said. “Lord Shi made a lot of the same notes for you. But it says here that you, Fumeirō, picked up on the beginning chakra control quicker than Kasumi, but for the more advanced liquids both of you were able to produce the same results at the same time. So I really have no idea why Fumeirō wasn’t chosen to be the team’s Medic Ninja.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe,” Ao thought out loud. “Hitonakase saw more potential in Kasumi?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That doesn’t even make sense,” I retorted. “If anything, they would see more potential in someone who was able to pick up the basics so quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry Ao,” Yagura said. “I have to agree with Jōshō on this one.”—He looked towards Fumeirō—“Congratulations, you are now your team’s Medic Ninja.” Fumeirō’s eyes lit up and his teammates ran to hug him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you sensei,” he said, tears streaming down his face. “I don’t know how I will ever be able to thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You can thank </span>
  <em>
    <span>us</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Ao said, sternly. “By not making us regret our decision to overrule, Hitonakase’s decision. You don’t have the best track record when it comes to Ninjutsu, so don’t make us regret it.” His teammates cleared off of him, allowing him to bow to the Mizukage and his aid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you so much,” he said, bowing deeply. “I won’t make you regret this decision.” Yagura motioned for them to leave. They left the room, allowing the three of us to talk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We reviewed your choice for the top two candidates for the next Head of the Medical Corps,” Yagura said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You let your personal bias get in the way of your decision,” Ao said annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did?” I asked. “You probed my mind while I was reviewing through files? You were there when I was weighing each option? Oh wait! No you weren’t! Ao, you need to stop embarrassing yourself. You just look more and more stupid, every time you try to come for me. If you have a problem with me, just say it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two </span>
  <em>
    <span>enough</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Yagura yelled. “Ao is there something that you would like to say to Jōshō? Cause everytime, he’s here it’s like you are trying to start something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don't have anything Jōshō,” Ao said. “I just don’t know why he is getting such special treatment from you? Like he’s been away from the village for so long. If any other shinobi had been away from their village for so long they would’ve been considered rogue and put in the Bingo Book.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jōshō was on a direct mission from me and Lord Great Elder,” Yagura replied. “His whereabouts and reasoning for being away from the village is nothing of your concern.” Ao looked at the Mizukage, shocked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I—” Ao started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I suggest you drop it Ao,”Yagura said. “It’s not worth your time nor effort to learn about Jōshō’s history.” Ao looked at both of us, whatever he was going to try, it wasn’t going to be worth it. We were the two strongest shinobi in the village, if he tried anything rash he could end up breathing for the last time. Ao, before our eyes, threw two kunai at us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the—” we said, the paper bombs attached to the projectiles, exploding in our faces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Mizukage’s office erupted in fire. The glass windows shattered, the shards falling to the ground around us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Mizukage!” a fellow shinobi said. We looked up the place we were just standing in moments ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Jōshō-sensei!” I said. I looked at Fumeirō and Saki, we knew what we had to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You three,” the same shinobi said. “You were just up there?”—We nodded—“Who was in there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Lord Fourth, Lord Ao, and Jōshō-sensei,” Saki replied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who the hell would attack those three?” the shinobi asked. “That’s like a flat out death wish.” He turned back to the Mizukage’s office, smoke and fire emanating from the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You three head to the hospital,” the shinobi continued. “Get as many Medic Ninja as they can spare. I will gather as many shinobi as possible and we will get them out of there.” we rushed to the hospital, trying to figure out who could possibly try to kill the Jōshō-sensei, let alone the Mizukage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It could’ve been that female shinobi that we captured,” I said. “You know that leader of the bandits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There’s no way that she would’ve been able to escape from the Mist’s prison,” Fumeirō said. ‘When people go in there, they either die or die. There is no escaping.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We will have to figure that out later,” Saki said, shockingly. “We have to get medics there immediately. We don’t know what we are dealing with and we need to make sure that the Mizukage and Jōshō-sensei are okay.” We reached the hospital and immediately ran into Lady Ankoku.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank goodness you three are okay,” she said. “Where’s my brother?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was in the Mizukage’s office,” Fumeirō revealed. We each saw Ankoku's heart break, her face dropped and she collapsed to the floor.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lady Ankoku,” I said. “He is still alive, we know it. He couldn’t have been killed by that explosion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But we need to get medical personnel there immediately,” Saki continued. Ankoku nodded, she slowly got up, wiping the tears from her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We already have people on it,” she said. “But let’s go. I’ll see what I can do.” We headed back to the Mizukage’s office, the shinobi had managed to round up others and were able to put out the flames, but now we could see the true damage of the explosion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not you three,” the shinobi said, moving in front of us. “I don't want any of you to see it.” Lady Ankoku looked at him. He motioned for her to go in, but continued to stand in front of us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I moved up the building, my heart racing.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can’t lose him, </span>
  </em>
  <span>I thought, my mind racing. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I just got him back.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>I reached the Mizukage’s office, opening the door. It fell off the hinges, the inside side burnt. I looked around, trying to find my brother, the Mizukage or Ao. Suddenly a piece of rubble moved, revealing my brother and Mizukage. I rushed towards them, preparing my chakra, but when I reached them, they both showed no signs of outward damage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” I said, reaching out to my brother. He took my hand and stood up. He gripped his side, obviously in pain, but appeared to not be hurt anywhere else.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” I continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ao turned on us,” he revealed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You haven’t taken any damage,” I asked. “How?” I moved to Lord Mizukage. He was burned, but nothing irreparable.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>These two,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I thought. </span>
  <em>
    <span>They are nearly indestructible.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was able to produce my Thunder Armor in time to protect me from the explosion,” Jōshō replied. “But it vanished as soon as the blast connected, so I was thrown into the wall with nothing to protect me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And Lord Fourth,” I asked. “What about him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He was able to use the Aqua Mirror to negate some of it, but the fallout wasn’t too kind to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why would Ao do this? He is one of the Mizukage’s closest advisors, he has no reason.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maybe that’s why he did it because he is so close to the Mizukage that no one would suspect it. It would make for a cleaner and more shocking assassination attempt.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where is he? He couldn't have gotten far.” We started rummaging through the debris, finding Ao trapped underneath a piece of the ceiling. Jōshō placed a sealing tag on his back, preventing him from moving or using any jutsu. I moved back to heal Lord Fourth and continued to question Jōshō about the attack.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did Ao seem out of it?” I started.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” he replied. “He was way more aggressive than usual. Like almost raring to fight. I thought he was going to challenge me to a duel.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Interesting, I wonder if—” My sentence was cut off by the rest of the Medical Team entering the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There you are Ankoku,” Hitonakase said. “We thought you had run off.” He saw the Mizukage receiving my treatment and Jōshō standing around like nothing big had happened. Jōshō explained what had happened again to the team, revealing Ao’s betrayal and the attempted assasination. Half of the team left with the traitor, taking him to the holding cells beneath the city. Hitonakase moved to aid me with the healing of the Fourth Mizukage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We should get him to the hospital,” Hitonakase said. “He’s not gravely injured but he will need some time to recover. What about you?” He looked towards my brother, who was standing up right, completely forgoing the obvious pain he had felt when I had gotten here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine,” my brother replied. The rest of the team moved to transport the Mizukage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nice work Ankoku,” Hitonakase said. “I just wish you came with us, maybe we could’ve been here sooner.” I nodded, moving to my brother’s side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take care of him,” Hitonakase continued. “You are relieved of duty for the night.” I nodded my thanks and Hitonakase left the two of us alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” my brother started, moving to leave and head home. “Let’s get—” Suddenly he bent over in deep pain. I moved to the side he was clutching. It was the same side I saw him grabbing when I had first arrived. I laid him down on his back and lifted his shirt. I immediately noticed red specks of blood along his skin along with some slight bruising. I channeled chakra into my hands, using the Mystical Palm Jutsu. I laid my hands on the marks, trying to sense what was happening.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Internal bleeding,” I said. I rushed to the shattered window.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hitonakase!” I yelled, waving my hands trying to get his attention. He looked up and rushed back towards the building, signalling some of the Medical Team to come with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They arrived back in the Mizukage’s office, seeing me perform Medical Ninjutsu on my brother. I felt a hand pull me away as the team started to lift him onto a stretcher.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Hitonakase said. “It looks like you are back on duty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>We arrived at the hospital, hoping to figure out what was wrong with sensei. We had seen him taken out of the building on a stretcher, Lady Ankoku in tears as they rushed towards the hospital. We weren’t allowed any further than a waiting room, but the uncertainty of our sensei’s status was looming over us.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do we know anything else?” Fumeirō asked. Saki and I shook our heads. Everything about the situation was very hushed. Nothing was getting revealed to anyone about anything that had happened in the last hour. We hadn't seen Lord Ao taken out of the building so we assumed that his injuries were minor compared to Lord Fourth’s and Jōshō-sensei’s, but it still begged the question of what happened. Lady Ankoku walked out of a surgery room and headed towards us. We all got up awaiting the news, either good or bad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s not too bad,” she said. “Well, it’s bad, but it could’ve been much worse.” We all breathed out a sigh of relief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Will he make it?” Saki asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Lady Ankoku replied. “But it is going to take him a few weeks to recover. It doesn’t look like you three will be able to go on many or any mission without him there. Actually, the only people with missions might be the people that were already assigned as Lord Fourth is going to be out of commision for a few weeks as well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait really?!” Fumeirō said, a little upset. “That sucks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō!” Saki scolded. “They could’ve died, show some compassion.” He got quiet immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ankoku with me,” Lord Hitonakase said, exiting the same surgery room. “We are needed for the Regenerative Healing Jutsu for Lord Fourth!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Lady Ankoku said, backing away from us. “I have to go, but thank you all for being there.” We nodded and let the rush back into the hospital.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So what are we going to do now?” Fumeirō said. “We aren’t going to get any missions because we don’t have a team leader. The Mizukage was almost assassinated. What is going to happen to us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing is going to happen to us,” I replied. “We are just going to have to wait until our next mission. Maybe by then Fumeirō, you might have a few Medical Ninjutsu classes under your belt.” His eyes lit up, obviously he was excited to learn about what truly intrigued him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Saki said. “We should get some sleep. We have witnessed a lot today. We all need to process what has happened.” We all headed out of the hospital, going our separate ways.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are we focusing on?” I asked Hitonakase, sitting down at my point of the Regenerative Healing Jutsu.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We are focusing on Lord Fourth’s skin,” he replied, turning to the other shinobi. “Use it as a conduit to focus your chakra through. Be very careful one wrong amount could do even more damage to the Mizukage!” We all started to focus on the Fourth’s skin, doing as Hitonakase said and using it as a conduit to channel our chakra through.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A few hours passed and we were able to fully heal the MIzukage’s surface wounds, but his internal damage was much worse than my brother’s. We moved him to a hospital bed in the same room as Jōshō and began working more on them, Hitonakase on the Fourth and me on my brother.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m amazed at how little damage your brother sustained,” Hitonakase said. “I knew that the Taifū Clan possessed restorative chakra, but to be able to heal from the minor injuries so quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” I replied. “But even for our clan, Jōshō healed almost too quickly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you implying?” Hitonakase asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think my brother is hiding something. There is no way that he would've only sustained a bruised lung and some muscular damage from that type of explosion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you saying that you think your brother might be a part of the assassination attempt?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No. I'm just saying that something doesn’t add up.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. On the Fast Track to the Field!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>“Good to see you up already,” Ankoku said, coming into the hospital room with a  tray of food. She placed the tray on my lap and moved to my injured side. It had been three weeks since Ao had turned on me and Yagura. My team had been in a few times to see how I was doing, but other than that it was just me and Yagura trying to figure out why Ao would’ve done what he had done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~~~ ‘He has to have been under someone’s control,’ I said. ‘Cause there is no way that Ao would willingly attack both of us, especially when he knows that we each outclass him in a fight on our own.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘He might’ve just turned on the village,’ Yagura replied. ‘He might have grown tired of the Blood Mist.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘No, that’s not Ao. He wouldn’t turn on the village, he is too proud to do that.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>‘Your sister said that she was able to capture him and they brought him to the prison underneath the city. Once we are cleared, I will interrogate him and we can get to the bottom of this. Until then, it is not worth it to fret over something out of our control.’ ~~~</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How am I looking, doc?” I asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You have been healing at an insanely quick rate,” Ankoku replied. “Actually both you and Lord Fourth have. It’s almost inhuman how quickly you two can recover from injury.” I laughed a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s so funny?” she asked, applying the Mystical Palm Jutsu to my side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing,” I said. She continued to look at my injury, assessing it to the best of her abilities.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It looks like both of you might be able to get out of here by today,” Ankoku said. Hitonakase walked into the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lord Fourth,” Hitonakase said, checking out the Fourth’s injuries. After a few minutes of checking, Hitonakase continued.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ankoku is right, you two should be able to leave today. But Lord Great Elder wants a complete story of what happened to the two of you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I said. “That’s fair.”—I shifted in the hospital bed—“Ao attacked us, simple as that. He threw two kunai at us, each of them had two paper bombs attached. They exploded in our faces, fortunately I was able to create my Thunder Armor in time to absorb the blast, but the fallout destroyed the chakra armor and threw me into a wall.” I turned towards Yagura, signalling for him to tell his side of the story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I used the Aqua Mirror Jutsu to negate most of the effects of the paper bombs,” Yagura continued. “But the explosions were able to break through my jutsu. They knocked me back and the next thing I remember Ankoku was attending to me in a charred version of my office.” </span>
</p><p><span>“Did Ao show any signs of turning on the village?” Hitonakase asked. “Was anything off about him?”</span><span><br/></span> <span>“He was more aggressive than usual,” I replied. “Usually he’s on my case, but that day he wasn’t letting me breathe.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Yagura confirmed. “He seemed almost ready to fight Jōshō at the drop of a pin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Going back to the initial damage,” Hitonakase asked. “How were you able to come out of that without any cosmetic damage?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I channeled chakra throughout my body,” I replied. “It healed the surface wounds, but wasn’t able to deal with anything deep.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is that possible?” Hitonakase asked Ankoku.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve never heard of anyone in the clan being able to do anything like it,” she replied. “But Jōshō is the strongest member the clan has seen since its inception.” They mulled it over, of course I was lying to their faces, but they wouldn’t know any better. I had woken up much earlier than when Ankh had gotten there and quickly used Mitotic Regeneration to heal my surface wounds, but I stopped it before it could work on anything else, fearing that someone would reach us while it was still in effect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Hitonakase said. “There are some visitors in the lobby that would like to see you. THey should be very happy that you two can leave today.” Both him and Ankoku left the room, leaving the Fourth and I alone again. A few minutes passed and the door opened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sensei!” I heard as my team made their way into the room. I gave them each a hug, smiling at the sight of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lady Ankoku said that you are going to be released today,” Fumeirō said. “Both of you are!”—He turned to the Mizukage—“Does that mean we can get a new mission?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō!” Saki said, lightly smacking him on the head. “They just got out of the hospital, give them a few days to rest!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When do you think you are going to get back to the office?” I asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not sure,” Yagura replied. “I don't even know if I have an office to get back to. Lord Great Elder has informed me that they are working on the repairs, but I have to wonder about all the files that were in that room.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m sure that Lord Great Elder was able to salvage a lot of it,” I replied. “I doubt that the inside of the desk was super damaged.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hope so,” Yagura said. “Cause some of the things in that desk were probably irreplaceable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How have the past two weeks been?” Ankoku asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not too bad,” I replied. “But mandatory house arrest wasn’t really what I was expecting when i got released form the hospital.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, we couldn’t have you going directly into the field and injuring yourself more, especially when your team’s Medic Ninja is still in training. But starting tomorrow you are cleared for field duty, so I assume you will be heading to the Mizukage’s office first thing?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” I replied. “My team has been forced to do small in-village missions while I’ve been under house arrest, so I know they are itching to go on another big mission, especially because they had such an exciting first mission.” Ankoku and I continued to chat for a little bit longer, until she needed to leave to get to the hospital.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I said to myself. “I have to start storing chakra again.” I moved back into the confines of my room, sitting down on the floor. I hadn't used too much chakra to heal myself from the explosion, but it was my first time using Mitotic Regeneration and I was unsure of how much chakra it truly used in my seal. I meditated for the rest of the day, storing an insane amount of chakra into my seal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I woke up the next day and immediately headed to the Mizukage’s office after getting ready. I walked up the building, it was still being rebuilt as the explosions had damaged more than just the room they were in. Supports for the entire building were weakened and that was something that we were going to have to fix.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good to see you again,” I said to the Fourth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I assume that you are here for a mission,” he said.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know me too well.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, you might want to get your team. This is a mission I want all of you on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you have in mind?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I would rather tell you all together.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>霧隠れ</span>
</p><p>
  <span>My team and I stood in front of the Fourth Mizukage, awaiting our mission brief. I could see Fumeirō practically jumping with excitement in the corner of my eye. Saki and Kasumi were waiting patiently, trying to lead by example.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Yagura started. “Your team’s mission is actually a joint mission.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“A joint mission?” Saki asked. “Like with another genin team?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not with another genin team actually,” Yagura replied. “You will be working with the Anbu Black Ops.” I looked at Yagura quizzically.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No offense to my team,” I said. “But a mission with the Anbu is usually reserved for jōnin, not even high-level chūnin go on missions with the Anbu, it’s just too dangerous.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on sensei,” Fumeirō pleaded. “Can we at least hear the mission first?” I nodded, signalling for Yagura to continue the brief.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You won’t be working with the Mist’s Anbu actually,” Yagura revealed. “You will be working with the Hidden Cloud’s!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What!” I interjected. “We are really going to trust the Hidden Cloud after what happened at Yosuga Pass?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They have offered this mission as a temporary peace between our two villages,” Yagura continued. “I think that it is in our best interest to take them up on this offer as we are fighting a common enemy for once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean by common enemy?” Kasumi asked. This mission had obviously struck a curious chord with my team, but working with the Mist’s Anbu was dangerous enough, working with the Anbu of another village was an even more dangerous story.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“One of our own has abandoned the village,” Yagura answered. “Tokuhain Kinjuru, a special jōnin who specialized in intelligence gathering. He returned from his last successful mission just after you arrived back in the village, Jōshō. After a few days of rest, we sent him on another mission, this time to the Land of Hot Water. Unfortunately, he hasn't returned from that mission. We assume that he used this mission as his opportunity to abandon the village. We need him dealt with before he can reveal secrets about the Mist to another of the surrounding nations.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What if he is just taking his time with the mission?” Kasumi asked. “Just because he hasn’t reported in doesn’t mean he left the village.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“While I wish that were the case, Tokuhain has been spotted with a rogue ninja from the Hidden Cloud, Kazan Sukai,” Yagura revealed. “They have been stealing medicinal spring water from throughout the land, creating not only a large decline in the nation’s economy, but also affecting the surrounding village’s medical capabilities. Taking care of both Tokuhain and Kazan would not only tie up a loose end for each of our villages, but also possibly draw some favor to the Mist and Cloud from the nations surrounding the Land of Hot Water.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why haven’t we sent tracker ninja after him,” I asked. “Wouldn’t it be an easy task, especially with the help of the Cloud’s Anbu?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Our number of tracker ninja has fallen as of late and the remaining ones are all out of the village,” Yagura replied. “And this mission is time sensitive as if Tokuhain and Kazan do too much damage to the Land of Hot Water’s economy, the surrounding nations might take the problem into their own hands.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” I said, begrudgingly. “We’ll take the mission, but I want it noted that I don’t approve of this level of recklessness. This mission is far too dangerous for genin. And I never thought you would risk them like this.” Yagura wrote it down in the file, seemingly acknowledging my statements, though not taking them into consideration. Something about him was off, it was like his mind was somewhere else, but also here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You four will be taking a boat from the western point of the Land of Water to the southern tip of the Land of Hot Water, where you will meet the Cloud’s Anbu,” Yagura revealed. “From there you all will work your way up the Land of Hot Water tracking the rogue ninja. Remember this mission is time sensitive, you must deal with these rogue ninja before the other Hidden Villages act.” We nodded and exited the room, leaving the Mizukgae behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on sensei,” Fumeirō said. “We will be able to handle this. We are way stronger than you think.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t doubt any of your abilities,” I replied. “But this type of mission. This is something that can change your lives for better or for worse. Most jōnin aren’t even tasked with missions like this. I don’t know what is going on in Yagura’s head for him to believe that we are the right team for this.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So this mission is super dangerous,” Fumeirō asked. “So if we complete it, we are probably going to get a lot of praise from the village?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s if we make it back alive,” I said. “Going after rogue ninja is, as you know, the job of the Mist’s tracker ninja. They are specifically trained to track rogue ninja and eliminate them. Sometimes even the ninja that they have to deal with are too powerful for them to take alone. We don’t even know what rogue ninja from the Cloud Tokuhain is working with. So were are going into this mission, semi-blind.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry sensei,” Fumeirō said. “We pick up quickly. Just show us the ropes and we will be able to take care of ourselves.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was never a tracker ninja,” I clarified. “I don’t have the proper training to go on this mission, let alone lead you three on it.” My team looked at me obviously confused.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then do you think that we might not complete this mission successfully?” Kasumi asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” I replied. “I’m going to do everything I can to make sure that we do complete this mission successfully. I won’t put your lives at risk, but I will follow Lord Fourth’s orders. So we will act out this mission to the best of our abilities, but if things go south, I want you three to get out as quickly as possible. Leave me behind, I will deal with whatever is going on, on my own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We aren’t going to ever leave you behind sensei,” Saki retorted. “That’s not who we are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know that’s not,” I elaborated. “But it’s who I need you to be. You are the future of the Mist, your life is more important than mine. You three have so much potential and any teacher will be able to draw that out of you. It doesn’t have to be me. So I am begging you, if it comes down to it out there in the field, please leave me and save yourselves, for the Mist.” They were all looking down, the nature of the conversation, dampening their liveliness about a new mission. I looked at them, trying to force out an answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright,” Kasumi said. “We will, but believe me, we will try everything in </span>
  <em>
    <span>our</span>
  </em>
  <span> power to make sure that we never are in a situation like that.” I nodded, knowing that answer was the best thing I was going to get out of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” I said. “Meet me at the western gate tomorrow at daybreak. We will need to make our way to the western dock by midday to catch a boat that will get us to the Land of Hot Water at around the same time as the Cloud’s shinobi. Also, when we are with the Cloud’s ninja, be on your best behavior, if this mission is successful, we may have a future ally in the Cloud.” Saki and Kasumi looked at Fumeirō, who seemingly didn’t notice their looks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fumeirō,” Saki said. “He’s talking about you.” Fumeirō looked at his teammate, annoyed and unimpressed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” he replied. “I got it, best behavior. But can I just say that maybe my behavior wouldn’t be so bad if Saki wasn’t always provoking me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Provoking you?!” Saki yelled. “You are always bragging about your apparent </span>
  <em>
    <span>skills</span>
  </em>
  <span>, I just happen to always put you in your place.” They were starting to fight as they usually did.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You two,” I said, trying to get their attention. I sighed, giving up. “You know what? I’m going to let you two work it out.”—I turned to Kasumi—“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She nodded, thanking me for the time. I leaped into the air, heading towards my house.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>If you have any suggestions or edits, please leave them in the comments! Thank you so much for reading my work!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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